Sardinia is becoming a new space center of Italy

The Italian company OLM is preparing to start suborbital launches from the island of Sardinia in 2026, reports the European Spaceflight publication. Permission to conduct the flights was obtained in May 2025 from the Italian Ministry of Defense, which represents a key step towards the creation of a full-fledged infrastructure for private space launches in the country.

The use of the Starlight light rocket with a height of 10.5 meters, a diameter of 450 mm, and a launch mass of about one ton is planned. The device is designed to launch a payload of up to 50 kg to an altitude of about 130 kilometers. Sardinia can become a new European range for private space companies interested in regular and economical launches.