A Vega C rocket successfully launched a South Korean satellite on December 1st, signaling a transition in launch responsibilities from Arianespace to Avio. The launch of the Vega C occurred at 12:21 p.m. Eastern time from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, designated as mission VV28. The rocket's sole payload, the KOMPSAT-7 satellite, was deployed 44 minutes after launch.

KOMPSAT-7, crafted by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), is an 1,810-kilogram satellite designed to capture high-resolution imagery for the South Korean government. It is intended to succeed KOMPSAT-3A, which was launched in 2015. This launch marks the second South Korean satellite launch in under a week, following the KSLV-2, or Nuri, rocket launch of the CAS500-3 satellite on November 26.

“By launching the KOMPSAT-7 satellite, set to significantly enhance South Korea’s Earth observation capabilities, Arianespace is proud to support an ambitious national space program,” stated David Cavaillolès, chief executive of Arianespace, following the successful launch.

Arianespace has been the launch service provider for the Vega series since its inception. However, an agreement in 2023 stipulated a transfer of these responsibilities to Avio, the Italian company serving as the prime contractor for the rocket. This transition was planned after mission VV29, initially set for the fourth quarter of this year but now delayed until early 2026. Despite the delay, Avio affirmed its readiness to assume the role of launch operator for Vega C, beginning with VV29.

“We are now ready to take the full responsibility of Launch Service Operator for the Vega family launchers, starting with the next flight, VV29,” said Giulio Ranzo, chief executive of Avio.

“The Vega-Ariane saga has been very rich,” Cavaillolès remarked in a meeting with reporters at World Space Business Week in September. “In the past I know this topic has sometimes been a little emotional because it was the end of a story.” He clarified that Arianespace's current relationship with Avio is “very smooth,” and that continued collaboration is expected across various areas, from launch coordination at Kourou to Avio’s contribution as a supplier of solid rocket boosters for the Ariane 6. “This is not really a divorce,” he concluded. “This is a different way to cooperate.”