Aérospatiale
| State-owned corporation | |
| Industry | Aerospace and defence |
| Fate | Merged into EADS |
| Predecessor |
Sud Aviation Nord Aviation SEREB |
| Successor | EADS |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Defunct | July 10, 2000 |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Products | See list |
| Website | web |
Aérospatiale (French pronunciation: [aeʁɔspasjal]), sometimes styled Aerospatiale, was a French state-owned aerospace manufacturer that built both civilian and military aircraft, rockets and satellites. It was originally known as Société nationale industrielle aérospatiale (SNIAS). Its head office was in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The name was changed to Aerospatiale in 1970.
The former assets of Aérospatiale are now part of Airbus Group, except the satellite manufacturing, which merged with Alcatel and became Alcatel Space, in 1999, now Thales Alenia Space.
The company (as SNIAS) was created in 1970 by the merger of the state-owned companies Sud Aviation, Nord Aviation and Société d'études et de réalisation d'engins balistiques (SEREB). Starting in 1971 it was directed by Henri Ziegler. Its North American Marketing arm French Aerospace Corporation was renamed to European Aerospace Corporation in 1971.
In 1991 the company helped construct the revolutionary chassis of the Bugatti EB110 Supercar. The chassis was built completely of carbon fibre, and was very lightweight.
In 1992, DaimlerBenz Aerospace AG (DASA) and Aérospatiale combined their helicopter divisions to form the Eurocopter Group.
In 1999, Aérospatiale, except for the satellites activities, merged with Matra Haute Technologie to form Aérospatiale-Matra. In 2001, Aérospatiale-Matra's missile group was merged with Matra BAe Dynamics and the missile division of Alenia Marconi Systems to form MBDA. Lionel Jospin's Plural Left government initiated the privatization of Aérospatiale.
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