We will make them of the specific proposals

With already 11 launch contracts, whose 10 match new satellites, Ariane-space, is more than ever the race leading the market. By as much as the misfortunes of its competitors - Sea Launch is placed under Chapter 11 and the American Space X accumulated delays - support model based on quality. This is what pounding its CEO, Jean-Yves Le Gall, the opening today in Paris of the annual Conference of Euroconsult satellites market.

How is the market for satellite launches resistant to the crisis

Since the beginning of the year, has signed 23 launch, including 11 with us, 11 contracts with the Russian-American Group, and the Chinese long March 1. But on these 23 contracts, only 16 matches of new satellites. 7 Other launches had already been signed, but with operators who can no longer carry out their mission. And on these 7, in were recovered 1, on the Space X rocket. Given the State of the business surveys, I would be happy if the year 2009 ends for us with 2 or 3 additional contracts, on a total of 20 to 25. Everybody thought that 2009 would be better than 2008, a year of low water. In fact, the market remains sluggish. Major satellite operators are not affected, but new entrants require more nothing, without credit.

Your competitor Sea Launch, which Boeing has 40, was placed under Chapter 11 in June. Will you benefit

I do no prognosis on the number of contracts to launch that we could recover if Sea Launch activity is stopped. To do this, it is expected the bankruptcy judge's decision, on 22 October.

What school are you getting this bankruptcy

There are two strategies in our profession. Ours is to charge prices which reflect the high level of quality. It is a long work and costly but which, if I judge by our order book, meeting a success, despite some criticisms. The first phase of the life of Ariane V resulted in four failures on 14 shots. Since 2005, we are in 32 launches and no failures. A launcher is not a commodity. Furthermore, we sell a service more than a launcher, with a global business network, or a team dedicated to each launch. This explains that Arianespace employs 315 people.

Conversely, some choose to charge prices very low, even if cut quality. This was the case of Sea Launch, a rocket exploded on take-off in 2007. Consequence of digging the debt, can no longer honor the payment of the rockets was its tariff policy. The Russian launcher Proton also experienced several failures. Recently, the India, the Korea of the South, and China suffered three failures in a week (). This reinforces my willingness to invest in quality control. But who said quality price.

How customers react

Failing that, they realize the consequences. Look at Japanese JC Sat. Four years ago, their Board of Directors chose Proton, as it was cheaper. But the launch failed because of a technical failure. In the minute, JC Sat chose Ariane for the next launch, as we did successfully in August. But they have lost two years...

Le Bourget, you had announced a shift in late 2009 to early 2010 for the first launch of Soyuz from French Guiana. The Director General of the Russian space centre Progress, Alexandre Kiriline, now talks of April. Why this new shift

The firing Soyuz in Guyana is, 99, duplicated from Baikonur, the Kazakhstan, and this part is completed for several months. The percentage of difference is the portico, which management has not been entrusted to Arianespace, but ESA, CNES and a Russian industrialist. This went wrong.

We was called to the rescue. The portico is now built and validated and first containers arrived in Guyana. It should be mounted at the end of September, with a year's delay, for a first launch in April of next year.

What is the likelihood that the United States do appeal to the launcher Ariane V-cargo ATV couple to convey the freight on the international space station when the shuttle finally updated retirement, early 2011 at the latest

Beginning of August, before I am gone submit to the commission of experts by Obama in US space policy, the probability was void. As some members had never heard of Ariane V! Today, I find it to 10. It remains six shuttle flights. Beyond that, only Soyuz and its Progress cargo can carry men and cargo in the station. It's a little hard to admit for the Americans, and this will not suffice. We will make them of the specific proposals. They could involve, for one or two launches during the five years between the end of the shuttle and the arrival of his successor.

It would be a very symbolic start to Arianespace in the United States. This could pave the way for common development.