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New Launch Service and Development Activities Contracts for Vega C

January 21, 2022

At the end of an intense 2021 with 3 successful Ariane and 3 successful Vega missions in about 6 months, Avio announces the signature by Arianespace of several new launch service contracts for Vega C.

In particular, a contract was signed with the Italian Space Agency for the launch of Platino 1 and Platino 2 satellites between 2022 and 2024. Platino is a lightweight advanced satellite platform entirely developed and manufactured in Italy.

In addition, the Microcarb and NESS launch service contracts were signed with CNES, the French Space Agency, and ESA. Microcarb is a micro-satellite for measurement of CO2 absorption and release into the atmosphere. NESS is a Nanosat demonstrator mission to perform surveillance of the civilian radiofrequency spectrum against jamming.

Finally, the launch service contracts for the Flex and Altius satellites were signed with the European Space Agency for a launch by 2025. Flex will monitor carbon cycles and agriculture for food security, while Altius will monitor the status of the atmosphere ozone layer.

These contracts highlight the credibility of Avio’s execution capability and Vega’s restored track record of performance, and on one side the suitability of Vega C to meet an ample spectrum of customer requirements, and on the other side the commitment of Avio to support sustainability and improvement of life on earth through the most innovative space applications.

In addition, Avio signed with ESA in December 2021 a new development contract for Vega C for a total value of about 50 Euro million. Such program will enable further Vega C technological optimizations and industrial streamlining, to improve cost-competitiveness.

The Maiden Flights of Vega C and Ariane 6 are scheduled in May 2022 and in the second part of 2022 respectively, with the Avio team currently in French Guyana working on the final preparation steps.

“The contracts signed between the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 confirm the intense work carried out by the Avio team, which has led to renewed market confidence in the Vega launchers. With the shipment of the Vega C items to French Guyana, the launch campaign is nearing kick off, for the launch scheduled in May 2022, while also Ariane 6 is now getting very close to launch in the second part of 2022” commented Giulio Ranzo, CEO Avio’s CEO.