(02/03/2004) Rosetta spacecraft successfully launchedEADS SPACE plays a major role in the mission

- The EADS Astrium-built probe sets off on its five billion kilometre journey - Its Philae lander should touch down on comet 'Churyumov-Gerasimenko' in 2014 - The Ariane 5 EPS upper stage reaches escape velocity for the first time Kourou/ March 2, 2004 -This morning, at 8:17:44 CET, the European Ariane 5 lifted off successfully from the spaceport in Kourou (French Guiana). The Rosetta cometary probe, built under the leadership of EADS Astrium is now on its long journey to the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko. 'EADS SPACE has played a major role in this cometary exploration programme through its subsidiaries EADS SPACE Transportation and EADS Astrium. All over Europe our teams and our expertise were mobilised to make this event a success.' said François Auque, CEO of EADS SPACE. The Ariane 5 upper stage was modified and re-qualified by EADS SPACE Transportation to enable it to carry out this demanding task at the very start of the Rosetta spacecraft's 10-year, five billion kilometre journey . EADS Astrium was the industrial prime contractor for this challenging European Space Agency (ESA) project. Under the overall management of EADS Astrium an international team designed and built the Rosetta spacecraft. The accurate separation of the probe from Ariane 5 about two and a half hours after launch delighted the space community. For the first time, the Ariane 5 EPS upper stage, built by EADS SPACE Transportation, accelerated a probe to an escape velocity of 40,000 kilometres per hour after a 105-minute coast phase. Only at this speed is it possible to leave the Earth's gravitational pull. EADS SPACE, a fully owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and military space systems. In 2002, EADS SPACE had a turnover of E 2.2 billion and 12,300 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Its activities are organised around three main subsidiaries: EADS SPACE Transportation, for launchers and orbital infrastructure, EADS Astrium for satellites and the ground segment and EADS SPACE Services to develop satellite services. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2002, EADS generated revenues of E 29.9 billion and employed a workforce of more than 100,000. www.space.eads.net (C) CompanynewsGroup