Strategic collaboration on space flight

TUM and ArianeGroup join forces

TUM and the ArianeGroup will strategically consolidate their power in the future-oriented space flight sector with a partnership in research and teaching driven by innovation at the Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen site. Specific plans include projects in the areas of launch vehicles and Industry 4.0.

"ArianeGroup, as the general contractor for the European launch vehicle Ariane, is today proud to join TU Munich in taking another important step to further intensify and expand expertise in the development of launch vehicle systems and rockets here at the Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen site," said Pierre Godart, CEO of ArianeGroup GmbH, at the signing of the memorandum of understanding.

TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann stated: "TUM has a great vision for the campus here in Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen. We want to establish Europe's most important university location for aviation, space flight and geodesy. In addition to top-level professorial appointments as part of the Hightech Agenda Bavaria, we are also building on trust-based partnerships with industrial associates in the field of aeronautics. As the lead contractor for the manufacture of the European launch vehicles Ariane 5 and 6, the ArianeGroup is one of the global heavyweights in space flight. I am very pleased that this new agreement will take our Industry-on-Campus strategy to a new level of development at the Ottobrunn/Taufkirchen site."