Avio S.p.A

The Smile spacecraft has arrived at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. During the coming weeks, the spacecraft will go through final preparations for its l...

Just over a year since Smile arrived in the Netherlands in two parts, the now-complete and thoroughly-tested spacecraft has left for good. With a launch wind...

"We’re seeing remarkable growth year after year."

A Brazilian government agency will launch an Earth observation satellite on a Vega C rocket, working with a launch broker rather than contracting directly wi...

Airbus has tapped Avio to launch its first Pléiades Neo Next Earth observation satellite aboard a Vega C rocket. The mission is expected to launch in early 2...

Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has awarded a contract to SpaceLaunch for the launch of its Amazonia-1B Earth observation satellite abo...

A shared solid-fuel booster upgrade that will be used for the first time aboard an Ariane 6 rocket later this year will not be introduced aboard Vega C until...

The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) has awarded Italian rocket builder Avio a launch contract for its FORMOSAT-8C and 8D, and FORMOSAT-9A and 9B Earth observation...

With the announcement of two new launch contracts for its Vega C rocket, totalling more than €100 million, Italian rocket builder Avio appears to have reveal...

The European Space Agency has completed the qualification review of the P160C solid-fuel booster upgrade for Ariane 6 and Vega C, confirming that it is ready...

From the ESA Blogs.

The European Space Agency has announced that the inaugural flight of its reusable Space Rider vehicle is expected in 2028. Space Rider is an eight-metre-long...

Smile is a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study how Earth responds to the solar wind and solar storms.

Smile has passed its qualification and flight acceptance review, meaning that it meets all requirements for launch. The launch window has been set for 8 Apri...

The European Space Agency’s upcoming FORUM mission is set to provide unique insights into Earth’s radiation budget, filling in a missing piece in the climate...

Romania’s National Institute for Aerospace Research ‘Elie Carafoli’ (INCAS) has completed qualification testing of the Space Rider Descent and Landing Test M...

All its parts have been built and put together. It has been wrapped in shiny gold insulating foil. Its launch is getting closer. But the Smile spacecraft had...

Smile is a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study how Earth responds to the solar wind and solar storms.

The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) has completed the structural dynamic qualification testing campaign of the Space Rider nose cone, marking a key...

The European Space Agency has confirmed the successful completion of a series of drop tests, validating the landing accuracy of its reusable Space Rider spac...

From the ESA Blogs.

When ESA’s Space Rider launches for its maiden flight, it will carry more than scientific experiments. It will carry the bold vision of ESA’s emerging genera...

The development of the European Space Agency’s reusable Space Rider vehicle has reached an important milestone, with a key component successfully completing...

From the ESA Blogs.

ESA Member States will decide on the future of the Space Rider programme during the agency’s Ministerial Council meeting in Bremen this November, Programme M...

Italian rocket builder Avio has delivered the main structure of the first Space Rider service module to ESA’s ESTEC facility in the Netherlands for testing a...

Switzerland’s Beyond Gravity has delivered the ALEK structure for the European Space Agency’s reusable Space Rider spacecraft to the Service Module prime con...

Avio has signed contracts with ESA for upgrades to the Vega rocket and its launch facilities, as well as for the launch of an Earth science mission. The pos...

From the ESA Blogs.

On 9 December 2024, the Smile Platform arrived safely at Amsterdam Schiphol airport and was subsequently transported to ESA's European Space Research and Tec...

On 10 November 2024, the final of three Australian CubeSats reentered the atmosphere. Like many other small satellite missions, they benefitted from the SMIL...

Smile is the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer, a brand-new space mission currently in the making. It will study space weather and the intera...

The Portuguese Space Agency announced 8 November that the island of Santa Maria has been chosen as the landing site for the inaugural flight of Space Rider....

ESA has awarded a contract valued at over €280 million to OHB in Germany to build ESA’s two Harmony Earth Explorer satellites.

The European Space Agency has announced that it has begun drop tests for its reusable Space Rider spacecraft in Sardinia, Italy. The testing will validate th...

ESA Approves ClearSpace-1 Debris-Cleanup Mission Changes