Société Astra
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Founder | Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe |
| Fate | Incorporated into Nieuport in 1921 |
| Headquarters | Billancourt , France |
| Products | Balloons, airships, airplanes |
Société Astra des Constructions Aéronautiques was a prominent French producer of balloons, airships, and airplanes during the early 1900s. Established in 1908 after Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe took over the workshops of Édouard Surcouf located in Billancourt, the company's most notable creation was the Astra-Torres airship, engineered by the Spanish innovator Leonardo Torres Quevedo. Beginning in 1909, Astra manufactured heavier-than-air aircraft under license from the Wright brothers, which were eventually succeeded in 1912 by Astra's proprietary designs, namely the Astra C and CM models.
Astra Clément-Bayard
In 1908, Astra formed a collaboration with industrialist Adolphe Clément-Bayard, creating the joint venture Astra Clément-Bayard and setting up a production facility at La Motte-Breuil to fulfill new airship demands from the French military. Astra was responsible for manufacturing the envelopes, while Clément-Bayard supplied the gondolas and propulsion systems. The Clément-Bayard No.1 airship did not gain approval from the French authorities due to budget concerns but was acquired by Tsar Nicholas II for use by the Russian armed forces.
Demise
Astra ceased to operate independently in 1921 when it was incorporated into the aircraft company Nieuport.