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Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), headquartered in Toulouse, France with major operations in Rome and Cannes.
- Headquarters
- Cannes, France
- Founded
- 2007
- Type
- commercial
- Founded
- 2007
- Headquarters
- Cannes, France
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) joint venture
- Employees
- 8,000 as of 2025
Quick Facts
About Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), headquartered in Toulouse, France with major operations in Rome and Cannes. One of Europe's largest satellite manufacturers with around 8,000 employees and revenue of €2.36 billion in 2025, the company has built over 200 spacecraft across telecommunications, Earth observation, navigation, and science programs. Thales Alenia Space manufactures pressurized modules for space infrastructure — including the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules (MPLMs) used to supply the ISS and the HALO module for NASA's Lunar Gateway.
The company builds the COSMO-SkyMed radar constellation for Italy, contributes to the Copernicus Earth observation program (Sentinel satellites), and produces the Iridium NEXT and OneWeb satellite buses. Thales Alenia Space is also selected to manufacture the Lunar I-Hab module for the Gateway.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Space INSPIRE | Software-defined GEO satellite platform | In-orbit-reconfigurable telecommunications satellite bus; selected for Es'hailSat/Türksat's shared Eshail-3/Türksat-Biruni satellite (contract announced 30 June 2026). |
| HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) | Lunar space station module | Pressurized primary structure for NASA's Lunar Gateway, built in Turin and shipped to Northrop Grumman's Arizona facility (arrived 1 April 2025) for outfitting; corrosion found in 2025-2026 contributed to NASA repurposing Gateway hardware toward lunar-surface demonstration missions. |
| Sentinel-1 NG | Earth observation satellite (radar) | Two next-generation Copernicus C-band SAR satellites under a €700 million initial ESA contract (awarded 10 June 2026), with Airbus Defence and Space supplying the radar payload. |
| Argonaut Lunar Descent Element | Lunar lander | ESA lunar cargo/descent vehicle; Thales Alenia Space Italy is prime contractor and system integrator leading an industrial consortium that includes OHB System AG and Nammo (contracts signed November 2025). |
| COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation | Earth observation satellite (radar) | Dual-use SAR constellation for the Italian Space Agency and Ministry of Defence, operated by Telespazio; its third satellite launched 3 January 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9. |
Timeline
- 2025 The HALO Gateway module's completed primary structure departs Thales Alenia Space's Turin plant on 31 March and arrives in Arizona on 1 April for outfitting at Northrop Grumman's Gilbert facility. [source]
- 2025 Airbus, Leonardo and Thales sign a memorandum of understanding on 23 October to combine their space businesses — including Thales's stakes in Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio and Thales SESO — into a single European joint venture (35%/32.5%/32.5% ownership) targeted to close in 2027. [source]
- 2025 Thales Alenia Space Italy signs contracts (announced 23 November) as prime contractor and system integrator for ESA's Argonaut lunar descent element, leading a consortium including OHB System AG and Nammo. [source]
- 2026 ESA awards Thales Alenia Space a contract (10 June) as prime contractor for two Copernicus Sentinel-1 Next Generation radar satellites, the first tranche of a program valued at €700 million. [source]
- 2026 Thales Alenia Space is awarded a contract (announced 30 June) to build the Eshail-3/Türksat-Biruni telecommunications satellite for Es'hailSat and Turkish operator Türksat, based on the software-defined Space INSPIRE platform. [source]
- 2026 NASA and Northrop Grumman announce (6 August) that widespread corrosion discovered in the HALO module's Thales Alenia Space-built primary structure, and resulting multi-year schedule slips, led them to repurpose Gateway hardware into three Lunar Infrastructure Demo missions rather than complete the orbital station as planned. [source]
Team
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-17
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Frequently asked about Thales Alenia Space
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Thales Alenia Space founded?
- Thales Alenia Space was founded in 2007 in France.
- Where is Thales Alenia Space headquartered?
- Thales Alenia Space is headquartered in Cannes, France.
- What does Thales Alenia Space do?
- Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), headquartered in Toulouse, France with major operations in Rome and Cannes. One of Europe's largest satellite manufacturers with around 8,000 employees and revenue of €2.36 billion in 2025, the company has built over 200 spacecraft across t…
- Is Thales Alenia Space a public or private company?
- Thales Alenia Space is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- What sector does Thales Alenia Space operate in?
- Thales Alenia Space works in satellite manufacturing, Human spaceflight and Space stations, plus 3 other space-industry sectors.
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Thales Alenia Space is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.