Avio launches Vega-C solo, reshaping Europe's small-lift market
Avio's first independent launch of Vega-C succeeded May 19, displacing Arianespace and validating Europe's only domestic small-to-mid-lift option against Falcon 9 rideshare competition.
Avio's First Solo Flight Stalls Days Before Launch—SMILE Postponed After Integration Defect
Avio postponed the April 9 Vega-C launch of ESA's SMILE satellite on April 5 after discovering a supplier defect post-integration—the company's first independent mission since splitting from Arianespace in 2025, now at risk of missing its solar-maximum observation window.