Left to right : Antonio Fabrizi, ESA Director of Launchers, Andreas Rohne, Director of Propulsion and Equipement - Astrium Space Transportation, Francesco De Pasquale, ELV SpA Managing Director (representing Sergio Scippa, Avio Head of Commercial Operations Space Division), and Martin Sion, Snecma Director of Space Engines Division.

On 22 June 2011, ESA and the Joint Propulsion Team – a consortium of Astrium GmbH, Avio SpA and Snecma (Safran Group), signed a €60 million contract at the Paris Air & Space Show to continue the development of the High-Thrust Engine, the main engine to power Europe’s Next-Generation Launcher.

The contract signing moves the High-Thrust Engine to the next phase: the engine’s preliminary design reviews.