Entwicklungsring Nord
The ERNO Aerospace Engineering GmbH, establishing Entwicklungsring North, abbreviated ERNO, from 1964 to 1990, a German company for the aviation and aerospace technology.
History
1961 by the aircraft manufacturers Focke- Wulf, Weserflug and Hamburger Flugzeugbau ( HFB ) was established a working group, which had the goal of all applicable development tasks, especially in the field of space to concentrate. The end of 1964 the company Hamburger Flugzeugbau and United Flight Technische Werke ( VFW ) developing ring road ( ERNO ) founded as a community of interest with its headquarters in Bremen. Under the name ERNO Aerospace Engineering GmbH, the community of interest on 1 January 1967, the legal form of a GmbH. The registered capital was 10 million German marks and was at 6/10 in the hands of the VFW as well as 4/10 in HFB.
The initial activities focused on participation in several projects:
- European Launcher Development Organisation ( ELDO ): an intergovernmental project to build the European rocket, set in 1973 due to lack of success.
- TD- 1A satellite of the European Space Research Organization ( ESRO ).
- AZUR: the first German satellite.
After the initial success of these development tasks and many aerospace studies grew the size and responsibilities of ERNO, it deals were created as the main contractor for several projects:
- HELIOS spacecraft: competitor was the company Messerschmitt -Bolkow -Blohm (MBB ), which also received the order. The critical for a solar probe thermal concept of ERNO ( working name spool ) was superior, however, so it took MBB immediately after placing the order by the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology (BMFT ).
- COS -B ( satellite): ERNO was the leader of the MESH consortium. The MESH- offer was superior in most respects the competition, because of unacceptable geographical distribution but it was not accepted by the ESRO.
- Spacelab ( space laboratory ): competitor was MBB. Because of the better technical concept - especially the modularity - the contract was signed with ERNO by ESRO in the spring of 1974.
ERNO also developed many components for the aerospace industry (including small engines, tanks, structures, electronics boxes) and was involved in almost all European space programs. In Lampoldshausen an engine test rig was operated.
In the development and production of Ariane rockets ERNO played a leading role.
Valuable scientific data could be determined with the TEXUS program for technological experiments under microgravity using missiles for high-altitude research ( research on the upper atmosphere ).
1982, the MBB and ERNO combined to MBB ERNO, which passed into the German Aerospace AG ( DASA) 1990.