Irish space electronics company Réaltra Space Systems Engineering has been awarded a €1.5 million contract by ArianeGroup to supply seven Independent Video Kits (VIKIs) that will provide live onboard video telemetry during Ariane 6 launches.
In June 2019, Réaltra announced that it had been awarded a contract exceeding €1 million to design, develop, and deliver the VIKI system to provide live video telemetry during all phases of an Ariane 6 launch. The system is built primarily from Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) equipment originally designed for terrestrial aerospace use, with the exception of the Power Distribution and Control Unit (PDCU), which is an existing space-qualified design. In addition to the PDCU, the system is comprised of a Video Data Concentration and Control Unit, an independent battery pack, RF transmitters and antennas, and up to six cameras.
Two years after the initial contract was signed, the system was qualified by ArianeGroup for use on both Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 missions. It made its debut just months later aboard the Ariane 5 flight that launched the James Webb Space Telescope in December 2021.
Prior to being awarded the new contract on 21 October 2025, the company had been contracted to deliver, and had delivered, five VIKI systems for use aboard Ariane flights. It will now deliver an additional seven systems to be utilized aboard future Ariane 6 flights. Speaking to European Spaceflight, the company explained that, due to operational reasons, not every flight of Ariane 6 will include a video telemetry system.
In addition to its use aboard Ariane rockets, Réaltra has also delivered a video telemetry system for the Themis reusable rocket demonstrator, which is currently being prepared for a wet dress rehearsal at the Esrange Space Centre in Sweden. The system will be used to capture footage during the demonstrator’s upcoming hop tests, which will support post-flight analysis of its performance.
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