OHB SE

OHB is set up as a Societas Europae – a European company. The OHB SE group encompasses subsidiaries across the European Union.

The company has been working on numerous German, European and international projects related to small satellites, crewed space flight as well as security and reconnaissance technologies.

• Examples of OHB microgravity facilities are the International Space Station racks Fluid Science Laboratory and European Physiology Modules.
• Projects OHB demonstrated at the 2006 Berlin Air Show included CONDOR/ARDS, an airborne modular reconnaissance system, and Mona Lisa, a study for planning and implementing a lunar exploration program.
• On 7 January 2010, the European Commission announced that the contract to build the first 14 operational satellites for the Galileo Global Satellite Navigation System was awarded to OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL). Fourteen satellites will be built at a cost of €566m ($811m; £510m).[11] The first two are expected to be ready in October 2012.
• In February 2012, an additional order of eight satellites was awarded to OHB Systems for €250M ($327M), after outbidding EADS Astrium tender offer. Thus bringing the total to 22 FOC satellites.[12]
• In 2014/2015, OHB was in talks with OneWeb as part of a potential joint venture to open a new facility for manufacturing approximately 900 200 kg (440 lb)-small Internet-delivery satellites. OHB is just one of five European and US manufacturers competing to build these sub-US$500,000 satellites.[13][14]
• in 2016 the first spy satellite project Georg (Geheimes Elektro-Optisches Reconnaissance System Germany) of German Federal Intelligent Service, BND started. The systems is built by OHB for 300 millions Euro and should have been in service since 2022. After research by German public media the start was delayed and BND will probably not be able to launch OHB satellites until 2025.
• In 2018 the ESA NEOSTEL ("Flyeye") telescope was under construction, due for completion in 2019, ready for installation in Sicily in 2020 by the Italian Space Agency.[15][16][17][18]
• In 2018, the Institut Laue–Langevin and European Synchrotron Radiation Facility announce a new partnership between the two research centers and OHB SE.[19]
• In 2018, OHB SE founded the fully owned subsidiary start-up company Rocket Factory Ausgburg (RFA).[20] RFA's goal is the development of a highly reliable, low-cost small-satellite launcher.[21]
• In 2019 MT Mechatronics (subsidiary of OHB SE), together with Illinois-based Ingersoll Machine Tools signed a contract to build the support structure of the Giant Magellan Telescope. The total value of the contract is $135 million. The structure is expected to be delivered to Chile at the end of 2025.[22]

As of 2019 OHB hopes to have a small rocket launcher capable of sending 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit conduct a first flight by the end of 2021.

The OHB Systems AG was founded in 1958 as a marine outfitter company in Hemelinger harbour, Bremen. The name is an initialism of Otto Hydraulic Bremen.

In 1981 Christa and Manfred Fuchs became involved with OHB. At the time OHB was a small company of 5 employees doing hydraulic and electrical work, mainly for the Bundeswehr. In 1985 Manfred Fuchs took over the OHB completely. Under Fuchs, OHB changed its focus to satellite and aviation technology. In 2000, the company changed the meaning of OHB to High-technology Bremen Orbitals (German: Orbitale Hochtechnologie Bremen).

In 2009, the company had grown into 1,600 employee company.

In 1 September 2014, OHB Systems AG and Kayser-Threde Gmbh merged.

• Official website

53°06′01″N 8°51′25″E