Rendering of the Isar Aerospace Spectrum launch vehicle. Photo: Isar Aerospace
The European Space Agency (ESA) and European Commission awarded launch service contracts to Isar Aerospace and Avio as part of the “Flight Ticket” initiative to test new technologies.
Italian aerospace company Avio is the prime contractor for the Vega rocket family. Avio is now the official launch services provider of the Vega C vehicle instead of Arianespace, after a process in Europe and a formal declaration in July.
ESA signed launch service contracts with Avio for Vega C for three missions to fly as auxiliary passengers. This includes Spanish company Persei’s E.T. Pack mission, German DLR’s Pluto cubesat mission, and French Earth Observation company Grasp’s second satellite GapMap-1.
“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,” Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo commented.
Isar Aerospace was contracted for two missions. Infinite Orbits will launch two satellites to demonstrate a space debris cleanup mission, and Dutch company Isispace will manage the integration and in-orbit operation of three cubesats.
“Isar Aerospace delivers sovereign space capabilities for Europe and its partners. These agreements demonstrate the trust European institutions have in our launch services. It marks a key step in strengthening Europe’s independent space access and sets the foundation for future institutional missions,” Isar Aerospace CEO Daniel Metzler said in a statement.