Italian rocket builder Avio has signed a launch services agreement with US-based launch aggregator SpaceLaunch for a Vega C launch carrying an Earth observation satellite for an “extra-European institutional customer” in 2027.
Avio announced that it had secured the launch contract on 18 September. According to the company, the contract was awarded through an open international competition, with Vega C chosen for its “versatility and cost-effectiveness.” While Avio did not reveal the identity of the “extra-European” customer, it said that it would do so later this year.
“This addition to the Vega C manifest reaffirms the vehicle’s versatility and competitiveness in the global launch market,” said Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo. “It also underscores customer confidence in Avio’s ability to serve as a reliable launch services provider for international payloads.”
While the mystery surrounding the flight’s customer will be resolved with that upcoming announcement, the particulars of the launch aggregator that brokered the deal are less easily discerned.
Although information about the company is not readily available, SpaceLaunch appears to have been founded in January 2025 by two former Firefly Aerospace employees with a combined 40 years of experience in the industry. On its website, the company claims to provide end-to-end satellite launch integration, mission management, and launch procurement services with a “portfolio of launch vehicle capacity around the globe.”
The Launch Availability page oddly lists Pegasus, a rocket, not a launch provider, which has chalked up 45 launches but hasn’t flown since June 2021. It also lists Isar Aerospace, Latitude, and PLD Space. When asked, Latitude told European Spaceflight that it is in talks with the company but has not yet finalized anything. PLD Space similarly confirmed that it has not yet finalized any partnership. Isar Aerospace did not provide a response as of writing.
In a blurb included with Avio’s 18 September press release, SpaceLaunch boasts that “it has supported the successful deployment of more than 150 satellites across 12 different launch vehicles.” However, according to public records, it does not appear that the company itself has supported a single launch. Instead, the claim seems to credit SpaceLaunch with launches that were actually carried out during the two founders’ previous tenures at Spaceflight, Firefly Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, and the US Air Force.
Despite the opacity of the launch broker involved in the deal, the 18 September announcement appeared to have an immediate and significant impact on Avio’s publicly traded stock. When markets opened on 19 September following the after-hours announcement, the shares climbed sharply, closing the day 7.09% higher. The stock continued to climb when markets opened on Monday, reaching an all-time high of €49.15 per share before settling just below that level by the close of trading.
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