EADS eyes tie-up with ISRO on hypersonic plane technologies

The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services, is keen to forge partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on supersonic and hypersonic aeroplane technologies, a top company official said.

“We are looking very much into the future,” chief technical officer of EADS, Jean Botti, said here on the possible collaboration between ISRO and EADS going forward.

“ISRO has a lot of knowledge,” Botti said, adding EADS also sees potential between ISRO and the Franco-German group in the area of propulsion technology. EADS is looking at the possibility of working with ISRO in the context of “niche aeroplanes”, he said.

EADS is keen on building “green” aeroplanes acceptable to society and it’s here that he sees a partnership role for ISRO with his company. EADS consortium, which includes Airbus, Eurocopter and Astrium, generated revenues of Euro 43.3 billion in 2008 and employed a workforce of 118,000. Astrium, EADS’ space business entity, already has a partnership with ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix on joint building and delivery of satellites of 2 tonne to 2.5 tonne class.