Our solutions for the aerospace industry
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From earth to spaceSolutions for the aerospace industry
thyssenkrupp products and innovations are used wherever the infrastructure of our planet is built - for example in energy supply, building construction and the advancement of mobility. But we are not limited to infrastructure on Earth: Our steel, aluminum and electrical steel are also used in the vastness of space.
For me, it is a dream come true to have the opportunity to work on humanity’s next major milestones: establishing a permanent presence on the Moon and traveling to Mars.
Aluminum from thyssenkrupp accelis was used in the Mars Curiosity mission as part of the landing ramp that safely lowered the research robot onto the surface of Mars.
Aluminum for the Curiosity mission to Mars
The Curiosity Mars rover was launched in 2011 as part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission. It landed in the Gale Crater on Mars in August 2012 and continues to explore it today. Materials from tk accelis also contributed to the mission: Aluminum was used in the deployment ramp for the research rover. This demonstrates the importance of materials that are both lightweight and highly resilient for space missions.
Electrical steel for lunar exploration
High-performance materials are also essential for exploring the Moon. One example is a rock drill designed for research on the lunar surface. Its highly efficient electric motor uses electrical steel from thyssenkrupp Steel.
Electrical steel plays an important role in electric motors and generators. Its properties help reduce energy losses and make electric drive systems more efficient - a crucial advantage on missions where only limited energy is available.
thyssenkrupp materials for European launch vehicles
The connection between thyssenkrupp and European space exploration dates back several decades. As early as 1998, structural components from thyssenkrupp rothe erde contributed to the successful Ariane 5 Flight 503. This mission qualified the Ariane 5 for commercial operation.
Aluminum rings from thyssenkrupp rothe erde were used in the Speltra and Sylda satellite support structures. Despite measuring up to 5.5 meters in diameter, the complex-shaped components weighed only between 23 and 57 kilograms.
After more than two decades, the Ariane 5 era came to an end in July 2023. Its successor, the Ariane 6, completed its maiden flight in 2024 and its first commercial flight in March 2025.tk accelis supplied aluminum plates for a thrust frame in the upper section of the Ariane 6. Aluminum plates from the company were also used for parts of the outer fairing of Europe’s Vega launch vehicle.
A red-hot steel ring is machined and cooled at a thyssenkrupp rothe erde production facility.
Slewing bearings from thyssenkrupp rothe erde precisely align the ALMA antennas in the Atacama Desert.
Bearing technology for use in space
Bearing solutions from thyssenkrupp rothe erde have also already proven their suitability for use in space. For example, a wire-race bearing was installed in a rotating platform on a NASA Space Shuttle. The platform was used to deploy and retrieve satellites in space.
Applications of this kind place particularly demanding requirements on reliability and precision. After all, maintenance or replacement of components during a mission is virtually impossible.
Observing space from Earth
Slewing bearings from thyssenkrupp rothe erde make it possible to align telescopes and antennas both horizontally and vertically. At the same time, they compensate for the Earth’s rotation, enabling the instruments to track distant celestial objects with precision.
One example is the ALMA radio telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Its 66 high-precision antennas are located on the Chajnantor Plateau at an altitude of around 5,000 meters and operate together like a single large telescope.
The slewing bearings support the precise alignment of the antennas. A three-row wire-roller bearing absorbs axial and radial forces via separate raceways. This ensures high stability and rigidity - even under the extreme conditions at the site, where temperature differences can reach up to 40 degrees Celsius.
Precision for extreme conditions
Whether for a Mars rover, lunar drill, launch vehicle or radio telescope, successful space missions depend on countless components that often remain unseen. thyssenkrupp materials and technologies help ensure that missions launch safely, operate reliably and enable new discoveries about the universe.
Technologies that travel into space
Aerospace is one of the most demanding fields of engineering. During launch, components are exposed to intense acceleration and vibration; in space, they must withstand extreme temperature fluctuations and the vacuum. At the same time, they need to be as lightweight, durable and precisely manufactured as possible.
Materials, components and technologies from thyssenkrupp meet these stringent requirements. They are used in applications including Mars missions, European launch vehicles, satellite systems and radio telescopes.