John Crane Supports Launch of Ariane 6 Space Rocket

John Crane Supports Launch of Ariane 6 Space Rocket

French Guiana (July 10, 2024) ― John Crane, a global leader in rotating equipment solutions and energy transition technologies and services, and a business of Smiths Group plc, is proud to support the European Space Agency and ArianeGroup with the launch of the new Ariane 6 launcher on its inaugural flight from French Guiana on 9 July 2024.

Several of Smiths Group’s businesses are providing critical components to Ariane 6, which will boost European space credentials by providing Europe with an independent path to orbit for its satellites following the retirement of its predecessor, Ariane 5, in 2023.

John Crane is supplying sieves for Ariane 6’s auxiliary power unit. The sieves act as specialist filters and ensure the effective filtration of oxygen and hydrogen. They are built to withstand the extreme vibration and temperature changes involved with space travel. In addition, the development of Ariane 6's newly designed rocket engine has been supported by John Crane filters located on the engine test bench.

Roland Carter, Chief Executive Officer of Smiths Group, said: “We are proud to contribute to the important mission of the Ariane 6 space rocket. We have a long partnership with the European Space Agency and the ArianeGroup, and we are pleased to continue to serve them in the forthcoming launch. This work builds on our expertise in designing and manufacturing components used in many of the most significant missions in space.”

Dr. Nicolas Fries at ArianeGroup said: “Every piece of equipment for this kind of spacecraft needs to undergo a demanding qualification and acceptance programme. For the sieves this included vibration tests and functional performance tests. During the sieve development phase we had to combine the extensive sieve manufacturing expertise from John Crane with the space engineering know how of ArianeGroup. John Crane has proved to be a reliable supplier for such critical elements and we are looking forward to continue our cooperation.”

John Crane is a global leader in mission-critical technologies for the energy and process industries and an innovator in rotating equipment, encompassing mechanical seals, couplings, filtration systems and cutting-edge asset management and digital diagnostics solutions. Blending a rich legacy of innovation with a commitment to service excellence, we've enabled our customer’s reliable and sustainable operations for over a century. While recognizing the role of traditional energy, we are pioneering solutions that enable cleaner alternatives, crafting a vision for a sustainable energy future. Our extensive global presence underscores our promise to customers, with over 200 service centers in 50 countries. With £1 billion in revenues in 2023, we are an integral pillar of Smiths Group plc, a FTSE 100 listed company dedicated to improving our world through smarter engineering.

For over 170 years, Smiths Group has been pioneering progress by improving our world through smarter engineering. We serve millions of people every year, to help create a safer, more efficient, and better-connected world, across four global markets: Energy, General Industry, Safety & Security, and Aerospace. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs more than 15,000 colleagues in over 50 countries. For more information visit www.smiths.com.