Colleferro (Rome), April 29th 2025 – The Vega-C VV26 flight has successfully launched the Biomass satellite for the European Space Agency (ESA).

During the European Space Conference currently taking place in Brussels, Avio signed a trilateral agreement with Arianespace and the European Commission for the transfer of the Copernicus Framework Contract on Vega C from Arianespace to Avio.

At the same time, Avio has signed an amendment to add one additional Copernicus satellite launch to the Framework Contract in replacement of the Sentinel 1D, which will be launched by Ariane 6. 

Avio S.p.A., a leading European rocket manufacturer and launch services provider, and BULL Co., Ltd., a Japanese start-up developing a space debris prevention device, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to study the implementation of an innovative space debris prevention device onboard the Vega C launcher.

Paris, December 18th 2024 – Today ESA signed multiple contracts with Avio to advance the development of its next-generation launcher, Vega-E, and to increase the number of flights per year of the Vega-C rocket.

Two contracts were signed between ESA and Avio, amounting to approximately EUR 350 million and covering a three-year time horizon:

Paris, December 18th 2024 – Today marked an historical step for Avio as a new European Launch Service Provider.

ESA signed today with Avio a frame contract for the procurement of launch services for the benefit of future agency’s missions and a first Work Order for the launch of the FORUM Earth observation mission. 

Colleferro (Rome), December 6, 2024 – Vega C successfully launched the Sentinel-1C Earth Observation Satellite, a dedicated mission for the European Commission Copernicus Program. The payload was put into a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 700 kilometers 1 hour and 43 minutes after lift-off.

Colleferro (Rome), December 4, 2024 – Due to a mechanical issue preventing the withdrawal of the mobile gantry, the launch chronology has been stopped.

The earliest targeted launch date is planned for tomorrow Thursday 5 December 2024, at 10:20 PM CET (6:20 PM local time in Kourou).

The launcher and its passenger the Copernicus Sentinel-1C satellite are in stable and safe conditions.

Colleferro (Rome), 28 May 2024 – The Zefiro-40 solid rocket motor, the second stage of the Vega C rocket, was tested on 28 May by Vega-C prime contractor Avio at its Salto di Quirra test facility in Sardinia, Italy. The motor featured an improved engine nozzle design, required to prepare for a Vega-C return-to-flight by the end of 2024.

Colleferro (Rome), 30 April 2024 – The European Space Agency has selected Vega C to launch the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (Smile) mission.

Smile is a collaboration between ESA and the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), its goal is to understand better the interaction between the Sun and Earth. The launch is a major European contribution to the mission.

Colleferro,31 May 2023 – Vega C has been selected to launch the Earth Observation satellite Kompsat-6 (Korean Multi-Purpose Satellite) for the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The launch is scheduled for no earlier than December 2024 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana.