AVIO SIGNS THREE NEW LAUNCH CONTRACTS WITH ESA UNDER THE EUROPEAN “FLIGHT TICKET” INITIATIVE

Colleferro (Rome), 27 August 2025 – Avio announces the signing of three launch service contracts with the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the “Flight Ticket” initiative, jointly promoted by ESA and the European Commission. The programme is designed to offer European companies and institutions the opportunity to test and validate new technologies in space.

This significant milestone reinforces Avio’s strategic role in the European space industry and further strengthens its collaboration with ESA, the European Commission, and key stakeholders across the sector.

“Being an active part of this initiative confirms the reliability of Vega-C and Avio’s position as a key technological partner for the space sector”, said Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio. “Deploying advanced technologies into orbit is essential to sustaining the sector’s growth in an increasingly dynamic global landscape”.

The three missions scheduled to fly as Auxiliary Passengers aboard Vega-C from the European Spaceport in French Guiana include:

• Persei (Spain)– With the E.T. Pack mission, Persei will demonstrate a passive deorbiting technology using a conductive aluminium tape, enabling controlled satellite re-entry without the use of propellant.
• DLR – German Aerospace Center (Germany) – Will launch its Pluto+ cubesat, equipped with a compact avionics system and a high-efficiency flexible solar panel, aimed attesting technologies typically used on larger satellites.
• Grasp (France) – Currently developing a constellation of Earth observation satellites, Grasp will launch its second satellite under the signed contract. The satellite will be equipped with an infrared spectrometer for monitoring greenhouse gases and assessing air quality.