Tuesday, June 23, 2009

EADS Airbus (ESA) and Japan's JAXA unite

Europe's leading aerospace research developer and manufacturer for ESA has joined with the Japanese aerospace contractor JAXA in a joint programme of research and development.

Vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding evaluation and non-destructive inspection are two technologies to be evaluated under the first research agreement between EADS Airbus, the main aerospace contractor for the European Aerospace (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

An agreement for composites research, it is the first such co-operation between EADS Airbus and a Japanese aerospace agency. If successful it could lead to further agreements covering other technology areas.

"We are very proud to develop this partnership with Airbus and hope it is the starting point for a bright future. JAXA already has a long successful history with European research institutes, such as Onera and DLR. This agreement opens a new chapter in the relationship with Europe," says JAXA's aviation programme group executive director, Takashi Ishikawa.

It will also assist EADS in expanding its domination of the aerospace business but may cause a political rift with the emerging Chinese aerospace programme, allegedly.

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