Air Liquide: Over 60 Years of Pioneering the Final Frontier

Air Liquide is a world leader in industrial gases and cryogenic technologies, serving the global space industry for more than six decades. As a strategic partner to major space agencies and private industrial players, the Group supports the full spectrum of mission requirements – from initial launch preparation to complex in-orbit operations and deep-space exploration.

Integrated Solutions Across the Space Value Chain

Air Liquide provides  end-to-end solutions that cover every stage of the mission lifecycle:

1. Launchers: Air Liquide operates across the entire launchers value chain. This includes the design and recurring production of onboard and ground cryogenic and gas management equipment,  the management, production, and transportation of all propellants and rocket propulsion fluids and comprehensive operational support and services for launch pad infrastructure.

2. Satellites: We provide mission-critical solutions in orbit and on the ground. Leveraging our expertise in extreme cryogenics,  we deliver customized “cold power” systems to meet the sensitive thermal requirements of Earth Observation satellite detectors. On the ground, we provide Xenon and Krypton filling carts, essential for  modern electric propulsion. 

3. Space exploration: Air Liquide contributes to the future of space exploration with its Regenerative Fuel Cell System (RFCS).This closed loop technology combines a proprietary space fuel cell with an electrolyzer and storage for water, oxygen and hydrogen. By utilizing solar energy to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen by day, and producing electricity and water by night, the technology enables a sustainable, long-term human presence in space.

4. Global Gas Supply: Our teams produce high-purity Krypton and Xenon to meet the most stringent industry requirements, utilizing Air Liquide’s proprietary separation and purification technologies. Through our global network – including Airgas in the United States – the Group ensures a safe and reliable supply of oxygen and hydrogen for launchers, spacecraft, and payloads at every stage of the mission.

A Legacy of Strategic Partnerships

The Group’s technologies are « mission-critical » components of the world’s most iconic space programs. From the Ariane launcher family to international human spaceflight missions and Earth observation constellations, Air Liquide ensures that the « fueling heart » of the industry continues to beat reliably.

With a global industrial footprint and a commitment to engineering excellence, Air Liquide is more than a supplier; we are a trusted, long-term partner enabling the next generation of space discovery.

Discover more at: advancedtech.airliquide.com