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Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 6/97 SEP FACING CHANGES by Wolfdietrich Hoeveler After SEP (Société Européenne de Propulsion) was taken over entirely by Snecma, the propulsion business in France is furthermore consolidated. SEP President Roger Vignelles explains the future challenges of SEP in an exclusive interview with FLUG REVUE. SEP, the leading manufacturer of space propulsion systems in 1996, must change its business fields in the coming years. Roger Vignelles says while 88 engines were delivered for Ariane 4 in 1996, the company will build only approximately ten Vulcain engines for the Ariane 5. According to SEP's head, this is not enough to maintain the capacities in the space propulsion business which used to make up 60 percent of the company's turnover. Vignelles sees a good growth potential in the brake business which is already making up 26 percent of the turnover. In 1996, SEP, as the market leader, was holding a 25 percent share of the world market for carbon brakes. Besides focusing on this market, SEP will offer the new carbon fibre weave ACTITEX, reaching a significant turnover in this business within the next ten years. Still, the rocket engine business will remain a core business of SEP. Vignelles is convinced that "the growth rates of the space markets will maintain at a high level since our day-to-day lives are more and more influenced by space applications." The launch service market is inherently connected to the development of these markets. Other space markets would be inaccessible without a European launch system. Vignelles continues, saying that the refusal of the Americans to launch commercial European satellites with their rockets had led to the decision for Ariane in 1973, giving Europe the required independence to open new markets. Europe's launch rocket is the market leader today, the one hundredth Ariane taking off this summer. Vignelles is convinced that, along with successfully introducing Ariane 5 into the market, it is vital to adapt the rocket for further missions, such as launching small satellites, if the launch profile allows, or the direct launch of satellites into a geostationary orbit which only the Proton rocket is able to accomplish today. The SEP head thinks that adapting Ariane 5 and focusing on key technologies is probably the better way for the company than starting to develop launch systems smaller than Ariane 5. According to Vignelles, future launch systems must be less complex to reduce the prices. However, this would require material studies and research work to increase the performance. The SEP executive demands governmental support in a European context. The ESA ministers are asked do the political groundwork, as well as, to support the technological development and marketing. Nevertheless, Vignelles sees that the responsibility for the product and market development is with the industry. In this point, the European industry has probably made a mistake in the past by not pushing the commercialization of the space industry strong enough. The SEP head looks at a market potential of several billion US dollars until 2005. The chances for Europe are as good as the outlook for the other competitors. From page34 of FLUG REVUE 6/97 Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 6/97 Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated May 7, 1997