Virgin Galactic and Italy’s civil aviation authority to study the feasibility of conducting spaceflight operations from Spaceport in Southern Italy.
Virgin Galactic Holdings and Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile announced the signing of an Agreement of Cooperation to jointly study the feasibility of Virgin Galactic conducting spaceflight operations from Grottaglie Spaceport in the Puglia region of Southern Italy.
The study, with phase one expected to complete in 2025, will evaluate technical requirements, airspace compatibility, and regulatory alignment for suborbital spaceflight operations.
The project aims to establish a center of excellence for commercial suborbital transportation in the Mediterranean basin.
The study will evaluate Grottaglie’s airspace compatibility with Virgin Galactic’s requirements and unique flight profile. This will include examining any regulatory requirements, studying the facilities infrastructure and ensuring supply chain capability to support multiple spaceflights per week.
