Bercella selected by Airbus to supply substrates for the wings of MDA AURORA™ satellites

December 12th, 2024 Leiden (NL) – Bercella today announced it has been selected by Airbus Netherlands B.V. to supply panel and yoke substrates for the Sparkwing solar arrays that Airbus is providing for the MDA Space AURORATM supply chain, the software-defined satellite product line enabling constellations to extend communication networks to every corner of the world.

Under the MDA AURORATM contract, Airbus will supply over 200 Sparkwing solar arrays, consisting of two wings with five panels each and providing a photovoltaic area of well over 30 sqm. Bercella will provide a 20+ years heritage of its Space Division in the production of substrates for Solar Arrays for Satellites, and will raise the productivity standards to the next level.

“Being selected by Airbus for a project of this magnitude is not only an achievement for Bercella, but a recognition of the ability of the Italian aerospace industry to compete at the highest global levels. We are proud to contribute, with our high-performance substrates, to the creation of the first constellation of this scale produced in Europe. The project marks an important step forward for the entire sector and for us it is a unique opportunity to demonstrate our ability to compete on a global stage, bringing Made in Italy innovation and quality in a context of absolute technological excellence. Dedicating a factory exclusively to this production underlines our commitment to this collaboration and to the future of satellite constellations.” declared Massimo Bercella, CEO of Bercella

This Long Term Agreement builds on Bercella success in developing high-quality, space-grade Composites structure, with high-volume production capacity of output rate, coming from its 30 years of experience across a range of applications.

“Our Sparkwing solar arrays are designed for low cost series production, ideally suited for constellations. Bringing Bercella on board as one of the key partners for the panel and yoke substrates marks an important next step for preparing the production for MDA’s assignment. Selecting multiple suppliers was a strategic measure to ensure we have the right capacity to handle the scale of this project, as well as future opportunities. We look forward to a productive and successful collaboration,” says Tom Houwen, Head of Procurement at Airbus in the Netherlands.