Common satellite for France and Italy - February 10, 2010
It is signed. Center National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) signed on behalf of French and Italian Ministers of Defense and the Italian space agency agreement with ThalesAleniaSpace and Telespazio, the two subsidiaries space common to Thales and Finmeccanica, the after which it entrusts the manufacture of a military communications satellite and security to both countries.
The contract worth 200 million euros mark the first successful cooperation in this field in Europe . This after the failed attempts with Germany and Great Britain. The satellite, named Athena-Fidus be produced partly in France and Italy in the facilities of both companies in Cannes and Toulouse and Rome. It must be placed in orbit in 2013 and enter service with the aftermath.It will be used by the military and civil security services French and Italian.