In 2006 the Polytechnic University of Turin had tried to put one of its satellites into orbit (PiCPoT), but the Dnepr launcher used exploded a few seconds after the start and destroyed itself.

Only 7 of the cubesats managed to be prepared in time for launch: They were launched into low Earth Orbit on the maiden flight of Arianespace's Vega rocket on 13 February 2012 on a multi-payload mission shared with LARES of the Italian Space Agency and ALMASat-1 of the University of Bologna.

The satellite was successfully deployed into orbit, and the signal was received by the team's ground station and by amateur radio operators.

[4] However, operations have been impeded by unexpected tumbling, and the satellite was put into safe mode.

The team later developed e-st@r-II to be sent to the orbit again as part of ESA's "Fly Your Satellite" program in 2016.