User:Itemirus/sandbox
David Avino | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 February 1971 |
| Education | University of Turin[1] |
| Alma mater | Military Academy of Modena[2] |
| Occupations | Entrepreneur, aerospace engineer[3] |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Argotec, ISSpresso, LICIACube[2] |
| Title | CEO of Argotec[2] |
David Avino (born 21 February 1971) is an Italian aerospace entrepreneur and aerospace engineer who founded Argotec and serves as its chief executive officer.[2][3]
Early life and education
[edit]Avino was born in Foligno in 1971.[1] He studied at the University of Turin, earning degrees in computer science and strategic sciences.[2] He later attended the Military Academy of Modena and served as an officer in the Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore" of the Italian Army until 1998.[2]
Career
[edit]European Space Agency
[edit]From 2002 to 2008, Avino worked for the European Space Agency (ESA).[2] During that period, he worked at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne as an instructor involved in astronaut training activities.[2][4] According to company and interview profiles, his work included collaboration with NASA and Roscosmos on human spaceflight activities.[2][5]
Argotec
[edit]In 2008, Avino founded Argotec in Turin.[2] The company develops microsatellites and space systems, including technologies for human spaceflight.[2] In an interview published by La Stampa in February 2025, Avino said the company was targeting revenue of €100 million by 2026.[6]
In 2024, Argotec opened SpacePark Argotec in San Mauro Torinese.[3][7] Press coverage described the project as involving a €25 million investment in the redevelopment of the former Cartiera Burgo site, originally designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer.[7] In May 2024, the site was visited by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.[8]
Projects
[edit]ISSpresso
[edit]Avino was involved in the development of ISSpresso, a capsule-based espresso machine designed for use in microgravity.[2] The machine was developed with Lavazza and the Italian Space Agency and was installed on the International Space Station in 2015.[2]
Satellite missions
[edit]Avino has been associated with several Argotec satellite projects:
- LICIACube: an Italian CubeSat contributed by the Italian Space Agency that photographed the aftermath of NASA's DART impact on Dimorphos.[9][10]
- ArgoMoon: a satellite built by Argotec and launched on the Artemis 1 mission to observe the deployment of secondary payloads from the Orion/Space Launch System mission profile.[11][12]
- IRIDE: Argotec has participated in the development of satellites for IRIDE, the Italian Earth-observation constellation programme.[13][14]
Recognition
[edit]Avino and Argotec have been cited in connection with several recognitions, including a NASA award in 2016 for an International Space Station experiment,[2] and the 2023 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics "Mission of the Year" recognition for the LICIACube team.[15] He was also described by Yahoo Finance Italia as having been named "Person of the Year" in 2023 by the Turin edition of Corriere della Sera.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "David Avino". Talent in Corso. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "David Avino". Argotec. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ a b c d "Chapeau: Intervista a David Avino". Yahoo Finance. 2025. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Training". European Space Agency. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "David Avino, Argotec: Intervista". Sky TG24. 2025-06-29. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "I nostri satelliti nello spazio profondo". La Stampa. 2025-02-13. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ a b "Chi è David Avino, l'ex parà amato da Giorgia Meloni che vuole trasformare Torino nella capitale dello spazio". Torino Cronaca. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "La visita della Meloni: Pensare in grande per l'Italia". Torino Cronaca. 2024. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Close-Up Views of NASA's DART Impact to Inform Planetary Defense". NASA Science. 2025-08-21. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "DART Gets Its CubeSat Companion, Its Last Major Piece". NASA. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Artemis I". NASA. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "ArgoMoon". Argotec. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "IRIDE: firmati i primi contratti". Agenzia Spaziale Italiana. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Moving ahead with Italy's constellation of Earth observation satellites". Agenzia Spaziale Italiana. 2024-10-16. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Strategic year for resumption of lunar missions and beyond". Aerospace America. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
External links
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