Air Liquide :Innovative Cryogenic Technology Used in the Planck and Herschel Satellites

PARIS--(Business Wire)--
Regulatory News:

As part of European Space Agency (ESA) scientific programs, a launch has been
announced on May 14 next, of Ariane 5, awaited with bated breath by the
international scientific community. On this event, the European carrier will
launch two of the most complex satellites ever produced in Europe: Planck and
Herschel. They will be placed in an orbit 1.5 million kilometers from Earth,
after a voyage through space lasting almost four months. These new space
telescopes will be able to supply astrophysicists with unprecedented data of
previously unseen accuracy, about the universe, its origin and its evolution.
The Air Liquide group, the world leader in cryogenics, developed the innovative
technology placed at the heart of these two scientific satellites.

For the Planck mission, Air Liquide (Paris:AI) had to meet an exceptional
technological challenge, developing a dilution cooler of an efficiency never
achieved before. Group technologies will hence enable extremely low temperatures
to be reached, close to absolute zero (-273.15°C) in a highly restrictive space
environment. Planck will be observing the Universe as it was more than 13
billion years ago, thanks to light emitted about 380,000 years after the Big
Bang and which is still travelling freely through space. In order to detect the
weakest signals, the instruments have to be operating at a very low and stable
temperature of 0.1 Kelvin ("K"), or one tenth of a degree above absolute zero.
The Planck satellite, with its cooler, will be able to map the cosmic radiation
from the edge of the Universe during its one and a half years of operation. This
is the first time that this technology has been qualified for use in space.In
orbit, Planck will become the coldest point in space, at 0.1 K instead of 2.7 K.
For this exceptional project, teams at Air Liquideworked in close collaboration
with experts from the Néel Institute(CNRS, National Center for Scientific
Research, France) and the Space Astrophysics Institute (IAS) on behalf of the
National Center for Space Studies (CNES, France).

The requirements for the astronomy satellite Herschel lay mainly in the design
and build of its cryogenic tank. This tank will store superfluid helium at a
temperature of 1.6 K, designed to cool the telescope and its three observation
instruments. Air Liquide thus designed and built a huge 2,400-liter tank which
had to be perfectly sealed. Equipped with a mirror of 3.5 meters in diameter,
this satellite will become the largest space telescope ever installed in space
and will provide astronauts with unique means of observing the universe and
hence, explore zones where stars, the centers of galaxies and planetary systems
are born.

François Darchis, member of the Air Liquide Executive Committee, in charge of
Advanced Technologies, declared: "Once again, our teams have demonstrated their
ability to meet major challenges in the field of cryogenics. Committed to the
space adventure for almost five decades, Air Liquide is confirming its presence
alongside the scientific community, by developing innovative technologies for
science to push back the boundaries of knowledge."

Air Liquide, historical partner in the space adventure
A major, renowned actor in the European space program, the Group has developed
unique expertise in very low temperature cryogenic technologies.
This support covers the supply of propulsion fluids, the cryogenic launch
infrastructures and the design and build of cryogenic liquid hydrogen and oxygen
tanks on the upper and main stages of Ariane 5 and cryotechnical equipment for
the orbital systems.
Air Liquide Spatial Guyane, with 45 employees devoted to launch infrastructures,
produces 10 million liters of hydrogen and oxygen a year and provides the
associated services.

Air Liquide and Planck and Herschel
The two satellites will be in constant contact with earth via a satellite link,
enabling the cooler to be remotely started and data to be collected regularly
for the scientific community.
The first partnerships between Air Liquide and the CNRS started in 1995.
For the Group's Advanced Technologies teams, the Planck and Herschel projects
represent more than 120,000 hours of work, from 2001 to 2006.
These projects are subject to the specific constraints of space equipment: no
trials possible in real conditions, no maintenance after the launch and placing
into orbit, requiring infallible reliability.

Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the
environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 43,000 employees. Oxygen,
nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide`s
activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide
continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and
future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic
growth and a consistent performance.

Air Liquide combines many products and technologies to develop valuable
applications and services not only for its customers but also for society.
Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry`s energy
use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow,
such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energy… Oxygen for hospitals,
homecare, fighting nosocomial infections…

A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer
trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive
growth. The diversity of Air Liquide`s teams, businesses, markets and geographic
presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and
strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and
build its future.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true
to its sustainable development approach. In 2008, the Group`s revenues amounted
to €13.1 billion, of which almost 80% were earned outside France. Air Liquide is
listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member of
the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.

www.airliquide.com

Corporate Communications
Corinne Estrade-Bordry
+ 33 (0)1 40 62 51 31
Garance Bertrand
+ 33 (0)1 40 62 59 62
or
Investor Relations
Virginia Jeanson
+33 (0)1 40 62 57 37
Annie Fournier
+33 (0)1 40 62 57 18
or
Air Liquide Advanced Technologies
Dominique Lecocq
+ 33 (0)4 76 43 64 97

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