Key Events in 2022

From RUAG Space to Beyond Gravity

RUAG Space becomes Beyond Gravity. With the name change, the largest Swiss space company is positioning itself even more consistently as a global player in the international space market. The new, innovative name is a perfect fit for the rapidly changing space market.

Large orders secured for Amazon’s satellite constellation

Amazon will soon begin deploying its first satellites constellation and has contracted space technology provider Beyond Gravity to manufacture the bespoke, scalable dispenser systems. This is the largest single order in Beyond Gravity′s history. Beyond Gravity is expanding production in Linköping for this purpose.

Simulation & Training successfully divested

At the end of April, RUAG sold all its Simulation & Training (RUAG S&T) business activities to the French company Thales. With 500 employees, RUAG S&T is a leading provider of simulation and training systems for security organisations and armed forces. As part of its restructuring, the Group decided to sell RUAG S&T.

2,000th Horizontal Stabilizer for Pilatus

Numerous components are produced and assembled at the RUAG Aerostructures plant in Emmen for the Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus. At the beginning of May, the 2,000th horizontal stabilizer for the PC-12 was delivered. The horizontal stabilizer is the horizontal surface of the tail unit at the rear of an aircraft.

Sale of Ammotec

The ammunition segment of RUAG International was sold to Beretta Holding. The new owner took on all 2,700 employees at all production and sales sites. Ammotec is the leading European supplier of small-calibre ammunition. Ammotec generates about two-thirds of its total turnover from hunting and sporting ammunition.

Vega-C

Vega-C is a four-stage rocket with a height of about 35 metres and a launch mass of 210 tonnes. To launch large single satellites into space, Vega-C uses payload fairings called “Vampires” from Beyond Gravity. The fairing, which is 9 metres high and 3.3 metres in diameter, was manufactured in Switzerland and used for the first time in mid-July.

Sale of RUAG Australia

The Australian industrial company ASDAM (Australian Sovereign Defence and Advanced Manufacturing) took over all business activities and employees of RUAG Australia at the beginning of September. With over 150 employees and modern production sites throughout Australia, the company is active in the field of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of military aircraft.

Beyond Gravity gets a new organisational structure

Beyond Gravity’s organisation has been restructured in view of the scheduled privatisation. In addition to “Launchers” and “Satellites”, the “Lithography” division was established as a third business unit. This is because the business, which concerns apertures and actuators for the production of microchips, is showing promising development.

Laying the foundation stone at Decatur

United Launch Alliance (ULA) awarded Beyond Gravity a contract to supply 38 rocket nose cones (payload fairings) for its new Vulcan rocket. To deal with the volume, Beyond Gravity doubled its capacity in the US and is building a new production facility in Decatur (Alabama) together with ULA.

Launch of the Artemis missions

For the first time since 1972, humans will land on the moon again. Closely associated with the Artemis missions is the new and most powerful US launch vehicle ever: SLS or Space Launch System. Beyond Gravity provides important elements for both SLS and the Orion spacecraft, for example mechanisms that continuously align the solar sails with the sun.