Saturn
This current photo from the JWST was published on June 30, 2023. It shows Saturn, the second-largest planet in our solar system. The rings of the gas giant shine brightly – all with a surface temperature of -139 degrees Celsius.
July 12, 2023
Bossard's Role in Researching Our Universe
Bossard is one of the principal suppliers of various fasteners for the payload fairing of the European launch rocket Ariane 5, which transported the James Webb Space Telescope into space. In the future, Bossard will also supply fasteners for Ariane 6.
Exactly one year ago, what is currently the sharpest image of the remote universe in existence was revealed, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Bossard is playing a role in understanding our cosmos. Bossard is one of the principal suppliers of various fasteners for the payload fairing of European launch rocket Ariane 5, which transported the James Webb Space Telescope into space.
“We are proud to contribute to researching the universe with our fasteners for the Ariane launch rocket. Thanks to its unprecedented abilities and potential for revolutionary discoveries, the James Webb Space Telescope will expand our horizon and inspire generations to reach for the stars,” says Daniel Bossard, CEO of the Bossard Group.
On the Mission to Success Together with Beyond Gravity
Since as early as 1980, Bossard and its subsidiary Interfast AG have been supplying fasteners to the Swiss technology company Beyond Gravity, which has been producing the payload fairings for all missions since the first Ariane flight in 1979 and which supplied the structures for Ariane 5. The fairings play a crucial role in protecting payloads such as satellites or spacecraft, as well as in optimizing performance of the rockets during the initial launch phases. Thanks to their aerodynamic efficiency and shielding of the payload against external forces, they make a key contribution to the success of space missions.
Ariane 6, Design Draft
Engineers and specialists from Bossard maintain a close collaboration with Beyond Gravity and provide advice on individual fasteners and drawing parts. Bossard supplies screws, nuts, special washers, clamps, nipples, and specially designed rivets for the payload fairing’s separation system.
Bossard has supplied Beyond Gravity with more than 1,000,000 fasteners over the course of the collaboration. At the end of 2023, the Zurich-based Swiss company was tasked with producing the payload fairings for Ariane 6, the next generation of European launch rockets. In the future, Bossard will also play a key role in supplying fasteners to Beyond Gravity.
“At Beyond Gravity, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We will continue to do our utmost every day to exceed our customers' expectations in terms of industrialization of our products as well as in the area of supply chain. In doing so, we rely on reliable partners who continue to stay one step ahead with us. Thanks to many years of successful cooperation, Bossard knows our requirements and we are pleased to continue our joint journey thanks to cost-effective standard components and smart special solutions,” says Franz Straumann, Senior Manager Manufacturing Engineering.
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Model in 1:4 Scale at Bossard in Zug
JWST will expand our knowledge of the solar system, the first galaxies, the origins of stars and planets, and the search for exoplanets with the potential to host life. On December 25, 2021, an Ariane 5 from the European space station in French Guyana successfully transported the JWST into space, and the telescope now delivers images that no human has ever seen before.
For Guido Schwarz, Director of the Swiss Space Museum, it was clear that this space telescope would be in a class of its own. Even before the launch in December 2021, the idea of building a JWST model took shape. “It quickly became clear that a large model was needed,” says Guido Schwarz. A large model in the scale of 1: 4, that is, more than 5 meters long and 3 meters high.
JWST Model on Display at Bossard
The team at the Swiss Space Museum worked voluntarily for over 1,000 hours to complete this large, 1:4 scale model of the JWST and presented it to the public and sponsors at the ETH Zurich on March 12. Bossard AG is proud to be a sponsor of this project. The large-scale JWST model can be seen at Bossard’s headquarters in Zug until August 30, 2023. Interested media representatives can register for a visit with Bossard. More information about the Swiss Space Museum is available at the following link: www.swissspacemuseum.ch.
Bossard media contact:
Marleen Seilheimer
+41 41 749 69 71
marleen.seilheimer@bossard.com
Beyond Gravity media contact:
Clemens Gähwiler
+41 76 319 28 58
clemens.gaehwiler@beyondgravity.com
Swiss Space Museum media contact:
Guido Schwarz
+41 78 707 19 42
schwarz@swissspacemuseum.ch
About Beyond Gravity
Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space), headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, is the first space company to combine a startup mindset, agility, speed and innovation with decades of experience and proven quality. Approximately 1600 employees at 12 locations in six countries (Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Germany, USA and Finland) develop and manufacture products for satellites and launch vehicles with the goal of advancing humankind and enabling the exploration of the world and beyond. Beyond Gravity is the preferred supplier of structures for all types of launch vehicles and a leader in selected satellite products and for constellations in the New Space sector. In 2021, the company generated a revenue of around CHF 319 million. More information at: www.beyondgravity.com/en
About the James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s largest, most powerful, and most complex space telescope ever built. Webb will unravel the mysteries of our solar system, take a look at remote worlds and other stars, and research the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA and its partners, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Authority (CSA). (Source: NASA)
Designing Fasteners for a Rocket
Jürgen Eixler, Head of Engineering at Bossard AG, explains what is special about the fasteners for this space application and how Bossard rose to the challenge.
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