Magazine of the Italian Space Agency
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October 2021
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Human asset for science and innovation In collaboration with
The training of new skilled people for the future of research and space activities
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SPACE FOR LIFE WE BELIEVE IN SPACE AS HUMANKIND’S NEW HORIZON TO BUILD A BETTER, SUSTAINABLE LIFE ON EARTH
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«I f lex my muscles and I’m in the air» is the battle cry of RatMan, the hero, or maybe we should say the anti-hero, which was created by the brilliant pencil of Leo Ortolani in 1989, has acquired cult status in Italy and is regarded as one of the funniest characters in the Italian comics landscape. The concept of void is very close to the concept of space, and in our imagination it’s probably the place which represents it best. It’s maybe because of this that Rat-Man feels comfortable in space and has been there three times in the last few years. The first meeting happened during a sunny day in Milan, in 2017, and it was immediately love at first sight. Leo Ortolani and Paolo Nespoli spoke for an hour and C’è Spazio per tutti (There is Space for everyone) was born out of that short meeting. The story develops in two parallel stories: on the one hand we by Fabrizio Zucchini have the historical and popularizing narration of space travels, @wilsonivorymoon from 1947 onwards, with the first launches of animals, until the landing on the Moon. On the other hand, Rat-Man’s adventure along with the ISS crew, in particular Rover, the comic avatar of the Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli. But Rat-Man wasn’t satisfied with his first adventure on the ISS, and has gone even further, becoming the co-protagonist, along with Luca Parmitano, of a lunar voyage in Luna 2069. In the novel, Luca is unfairly rejected by the selection committee, but thanks to the meeting with Mr. Mask, an eccentric millionaire who’s the head of Lunatic, a space travel company, will have the opportunity to lead a private expedition to the Moon. Once again, despite several unexpected events, it is an opportunity to laugh and get to know the history of the conquest of the Moon. Like every saga worthy of its name, there’s no lack of a third chapter. At Lucca Comics, we will be able to admire Blu come il tramonto (As blue as the sunset), the third graphic novel created in partnership with the Italian Space Agency, where RatMan finds himself on Mars, searching for evidence of The Italian Space Agency and Rat-Man life. Our hero completes the join forces once again in Lucca, for the three steps of human explothird chapter of the space saga. ration, Space Station, Moon and Mars, following the ambitious space program of every country, including Italy, which boasts a great space tradition. This journey, made up of playful and ironic moments, does not lack a scientific part, told with lightness and accuracy by the author. By promoting this trilogy, the Italian Space Agency aims at stimulating and intriguing the young reader, hoping that they may be part of the expedition that will land on Mars, or that maybe will go even further.
I FLEX MY MUSCLES AND I’M IN THE AIR!
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SUMMARY Number 2, October 2021
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I flex my muscles and I’m in the air! by Fabrizio Zucchini
Interview with Maria Cristina Messa by Giovanni Caprara
Italy at the IAC in Dubai by Ilaria Marciano
The space according to Leonardo by Giuseppina Piccirilli
The forge of space by Silvia Ciccarelli
Magazine of the Italian Space Agency Supplemento di Global Science Testata giornalistica gruppo Globalist
Galileo: the made in Europe navigation from Earth to the Moon by Giuseppina Pulcrano
The space economy on the G20 agenda by Fulvia Croci
The MAM 2021: from space to Grottaglie for a better future by Fiorella Coliolo
Research and innovation in a linked system: the experience of Apulia by Letizia Davoli
IXPE, a new perspective on high energies by Valeria Guarnieri
Waiting for James Webb by Giulia Bonelli
Defending the planet: space as a strategic outpost by Web editorial staff, ASI
Space exploration: a great human adventure by Web editorial staff, ASI
LiciaCube: an all-Italian challenge and opportunity by Giuseppe Nucera
Reg. Tribunale Roma 11.2017 del 02.02.2017 Stampato presso Peristegraf srl Via Giacomo Peroni 130, Roma Edited by ASI's multimedia unit www.asi.it
Managing director Gianni Cipriani Graphics project Davide Coero Borga Editorial coordination Daniela Amenta
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The human capital to support science and innovation 6 | SPAZIO 2050
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«Space is one of the 15 themes in which research projects will have to be presented. These will be identified by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), by creating extended partnerships set out in the guidelines, and their aim is strengthening basic and applied research by encouraging the spread of innovative models in the projects carried out between universities, different bodies and public and private entities committed to this front». The words by Maria Cristina Messa, Minister of University and Research, open an encouraging perspective which will act as a relaunch for the national scientific and technological world, which is suffering in terms of resource availability, to compete in the international scenario. With what purpose are we looking at the new season, minister Messa? We want to support the processes for innovation and technological transfer from our laboratories, which are full of ideas and results. Obviously, to reach this goal we also need to enhance our infrastructures and betting, first of all, on human capital.
INTERVIEW WITH MARIA CRISTINA MESSA by Giovanni Caprara @giovannicaprara
The landscape of the activities taken into account is wide and represents a real challenge… It’s a challenge that we need to face with decision. With the commitments that we have defined, and that are inserted into the spirit and initiatives of the European programs, we want to materialize the relaunch of the country, which must also start from research. The national skills need to be strengthened in some fields, whereas in other fields we must take a real leap forward. For example, in the sector of vaccines, we have centres with a good experience in basic research related to mRNA, but there aren’t any companies taking care of the transformation of such knowledge in products that meet our needs. By what criteria will choices be made? In order to implement the four measures laid down in the plan’s guidelines, we have available six of the nine billions provided for by the PNRR which falls within the competence of our ministry. They will be allocated for the realization of large-scale projects keeping into account several elements, including the catching-up of gender gaps, with a 40 % share allocated to women to which we must add the generational and territorial aspects and, in particular, the principle of merit. The Made in Italy has proved to have qualities in several fields of production. What changes should be made for a relaunch? We are strong in terms of applications, but we need to change our industrial criteria. We need to go beyond these skills, with a research that provides more value to our constructive ideas and keeps into account sustainability, which is essential today. An important action to be carried out in our country is defining critical masses and research networks also in the space industry. We have a great dissemination, but sometimes it becomes fragmentation that we can no longer afford.
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Financing is not enough; we need to create a dynamic and flexible structure which is capable of evolving.
An important action to be carried out in our country is defining critical masses and research networks also in the space industry.
And on the front of space activities? Also here we need to make sure that research is more recognizable, consistent and separate from the strictly industrial part. In fact, there must be a first stage targeted at science and technology. To do so, we need to aggregate the facilities in the whole space industry and involve the three bodies (CNR, INAF, INFN), the universities and the centres in the territories, as well as the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It’s important to direct group of researchers towards space, so that we can employ them in very important investigations on Earth observation, interaction phenomena between the oceans, the atmosphere and the Sun but also maintenance processes in space, which are equally essential for future activities. To this aim we need, above all, to train new generations of researchers. The goals seem clear. How can turn these ideas into reality? The ASI has launched a three-year plan which outlines the direction of movement, keeping into account both the national commitments and the projects shared with the European Space Agency, ESA, where we continue to be the third contributor after France and Germany. However, in terms of internal planning, we now need an all-Italian scientific space mission. In the field of space telecommunications, Italy had acquired a significant weight by developing state-of-the-art technologies with the Sirio satellite, which expanded the usable frequencies, the Italsat satellites and the European Artemis and Olympus satellites. An actual revolution is in place in the field of telecommunications, to guarantee a personal mobility with a considerable range of services. Yes, we need to work on the telecommunications of the future with a wide action range, because there are several fields where these technologies are strategic and go beyond personal use opportunities. I think of the aspects related to safety and quantum communications, which guarantee more safety. But there’s also another aspect to consider, which is the big amount of data generated and conveyed by communication networks and coming, for example, from Earth observation with the management of territories, the development of agriculture but also telemedicine. Therefore, a generation of Big Data which will be increasingly related to artificial intelligence, in order to extract useful knowledge; a reality which is strictly related to space and should be faced with suitable programs. These are new challenges which also require management adjustments to build a solid future, aren’t they? With the establishment of the Interministerial Committee for space policies, our country has given itself an appropriate body which is ca-
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pable of governing strategies and choices, in response to the guidelines and needs expressed along with the different ministries. The ASI will receive over two billion euros from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, with which it will support innovative projects related to digitalization, ecological transition, infrastructures for sustainable mobility to education and health. At the same time, we are considering initiatives in other sectors with a high potential for growth. Among them is the urgent need to remove space debris orbits, which represent a very serious risk for safety as well as being an obstacle for the growth of space systems. Furthermore, there is interest in increasing the possibilities for access to space, a field in which Italy has been investing for several years and where we now need a small launcher to be added to the current Vega, in order to meet the requirements of the emerging launch market of smaller satellites. In Europe we have two space organisms: the ESA, with almost fifty years of tradition, and the newborn Euspa agency, established by the European Commission, which governs the activities with the Galileo navigation satellites and Copernicus constellations for Earth observation and safety. Are two organisms a risk or an opportunity for the future? I wish these two bodies will find a suitable form of integration, avoiding any dangerous contrasts, and we will work towards this aim. In the next few years, Italy must strengthen its position within the ESA to overcome the overwhelming dominance of other countries’ representatives; it’s an essential rebalancing to respect our commitment to and investment in the agency.
The Minister of University and Research, Maria Cristina Messa.
Space activity is quickly evolving and is looking for more stability and opportunities for growth, combining public and private investments. The space economy was born ten years ago. Is it a safe way to develop research and production? The combination of public and private re-
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sources is a reality in space and represents a guarantee to reach new goals, from which science and economy will obtain mutual benefits. The public sector acts as a stimulus, whereas the private sector invests in investigations that bring many advantages to it, and so we can more easily shift from research to the market. It doesn’t mean that we are debasing research; it means that we are investing in results to make a profit, thanks to shared projects aimed at development. In the United States, great businessmen such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, with their financial resources, seem capable of influencing space strategies, which should be the result of political choices. How can we reduce this risk? In the United States, the market rules economy and acts a strong accelerator, also thanks to the contribution of the Department of Defense. This has an impact on international partnerships, therefore we need new rules to guarantee an evolution in response to shared social choices. It’s a commitment which will keep us busy in the next few years and involves not only space, but also other new technologies, including artificial intelligence. What is the winning key for the future in space, which promises to be extraordinary as we project ourselves towards the Moon and Mars? The basis of everything, and I repeat it with strength, is the importance of investing in the human capital and caring about an adequate training, with degree courses in line with the times. We need to build a unique international identity, building the figure of the European researcher together with the European area of research. It will be a valuable step towards science, economy and therefore also for space exploration.
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Focus on human capital to support science and innovation
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Italy at the IAC in Dubai
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The 72nd edition of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the itinerant meeting of the international space scientific community, hosted this year for the first time in the United Arab Emirates, kicks off for the first time from October 25th to 29th, 2021. The exhibition, organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), welcomes representatives from space agencies, companies, universities, museums and different insiders coming from all around the world who, through scientific sessions, round tables and several events, will elaborate on topics such as international space cooperation, space exploration and applications at the service of the people and the society. Also the Italian Space Agency attended the exhibition, as usual, with a delegation guided by the president Giorgio Saccoccia and with its own stand, in order to present the activities, capacities and strategic priorities of both the ASI and the country. Inspire, innovate and discover for the benefit of humankind: this is the topic of this year’s event, which aims at strengthening the partnership between all countries and promoting global innovations in the industry.
INTERVIEW WITH GABRIELLA ARRIGO by Ilaria Marciano @iaia_marciano
Gabriella Arrigo, Head of International Relations at the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and former vice president of the IAF from 2018 to 2020, explains the importance of the IAC for Italy. How did the idea of an International Astronautical Congress come out and what does it represent for the space sector? The IAC is the most important annual event of the IAF and was born during the Cold War years, with an important mission: guaranteeing a continuous dialogue between the opposite blocks, regardless of their scientific and technological development. For several years, the IAC was the “special place of meeting”, where exchange was possible. In this context, Italy has played a key role since the first years of its creation. As we know, already in 1964 our country independently launched its first artificial satellite, the San Marco 1, from the Malindi space center, in Kenya. Today, the IAF gathers over 400 members from 71 countries: all the national space agencies, several international space bodies, companies, universities, museums, young people and several cultural and promotional associations are part of it. Therefore, the IAC isn’t just a simple congress, but it continues to be a highly privileged place to meet, discuss, exchange ideas and future projects. What can we expect from this edition and what themes will be addressed by Italy? This year’s edition of the IAC is very important, first of all because it arrives after the tragic period of the COVID-19 pandemic and will mostly be held in presence. Only recently, the United Arab Emirates have come close to Israel and therefore we expect the Israelis to attend this event. It is likely that there will be representatives from all the
The panorama of Dubai, the largest and most modern city in the United Arab Emirates.
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Middle East area. Finally, this edition will be important for Italy also because we will officially present the candidacy of Milan as host for the IAC in 2024. Why Milan? Every year, during the congress, we choose the city, and subsequently the country, that will host the IAC for three successive editions, quite similarly to what happens with the Olympics. We are proposing Milan for 2024 because it’s a symbolic city and its candidacy was supported by all Italy, by the Italian Space Agency, the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA) and Leonardo, three subjects which gather all the elements and the stakeholders from the national space community: the Government and space institutions, universities, small and medium-sized enterprises, clusters and startup companies. Our slogan is: with Milan, Italy present its candidacy. The strategy behind our promotional campaign is based on the Italian heritage: knowledge, skills, creativity, inspiration. Obviously Milan has its own peculiarities, which allow the city to host such an event: it’s the capital of fashion and cooking, of several exhibitions and conferences, including the Expo and recently the Pre-COP, of several international events that attract people from all over the world. Besides from Milan’s candidacy as host for the IAC 2024, what message will the Italian space sector bring to this edition? This year we are feeling especially ready and credible because Italy chaired the G20 and the ASI chaired the G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting. In fact, on September 20th and 21st the ASI brought together in Rome the summits of space agencies and the industrial leaders of the G20 countries to discuss space economy around the topic of Space for People Planet and Prosperity. Italy has chaired the Pre-COP on climate change in Milan in view of the COP26 in Glasgow, confirming its strong commitment thanks to space technologies and, in particular, Earth observation technologies at the service of people, citizens, scientists and policy makers. I think these events are somehow related with each other. The G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting emphasized three topics, People, Planet & Prosperity, which in my opinion match perfectly with the main themes of the COP26. Therefore, our proposal at this year’s IAC can be summarized as follows: promoting a space technology at the service of man, populations and communities, in the respect and care of our planet. A technology that may produce prosperity, a prosperity that is seen as widespread wellbeing, a “positive wealth” that doesn’t create discriminations and inequalities but, instead, contributes to address and remove them. This is the message we want to bring to the IAC.
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Inspire, innovate and discover for the benefit of humankind: this is the topic of this year’s event
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THE SPACE ACCORDING TO LEONARDO by Giuseppina Piccirilli @giuseppinapicci
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A space core business made up of a complete value chain, which the holding company puts in place also through subsidiaries and investee companies. Earth observation, remote sensing, communications and navigation, cyber security, technologies for universe exploration missions and ground-based systems represent an exhaustive industrial offer. Fashion, food, but also space technology, are the national wealth known all around the world. Space is a part of our country’s technological culture, appreciated everywhere as the industry which is capable of expressing an offer defined as “turnkey” by technicians. A complete menu made up of scientific equipment, satellites, launchers and ground data analysis, that can be taken advantage of in a huge portfolio of applications. The magic word that has been shaking the space industry in the last few years is space economy, a production structure which is increasingly becoming a key asset for development and economic growth. Who uses this new way of thinking and doing in the space industry, and how is it nurtured? Several people or everybody. On the front lines are large and small companies, with the opportunity to grow thanks to services, products and new technologies which stem from space applications, applications which arrive on Earth and contribute to the economic development. Therefore it’s mostly us, the inhabitants of the planet, who benefit from them, and we unconsciously use derived space technology, or space technology for direct application, in our daily lives, with great advantages. The industry, guided by the ASI since its foundation, presents itself as and continues to be an element of relevance and excellence. Starting from a significant industrial heritage, today it retains its leadership position also thanks to the offer of innovation and production capacity. Big and small protagonists are the strength of the Italian industry, an ecosystem of small, medium and large-sized companies where
A complete supply chain of space: small and medium-sized enterprises
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The ExoMars mission is tasked with investigating the Martian soil.
the Leonardo group occupies a significant share. As mentioned several times by the CEO of the holding, Alessandro Profumo, considering joint ventures and shareholdings Leonardo covers 70% of the Italian space industry, with about 5000 direct and indirect employees, for a turnover of 1.6 billion per year. The whole control chain includes, among others, companies such as Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space (which are part of the Space Alliance, a joint venture between Leonardo and the French group Thales), shareholdings in the capital of companies, such as Avio in the first place, or the participation, through Telespazio, in e-Geos, a joint venture with the ASI. The Italian group represents a complete supply chain of space; small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of our production system, are working and growing around it. In its fifteen years of life, the Space Alliance has brought together, in a complementarity of systems, Thales Alenia Space, which has an illustrious history in the field of space manufacturing, and Telespazio, a global leader in the field of satellite services. The Space Alliance is the result of an agreement between two big European giants, Leonardo and Thales, which hold respectively 67% and 33% of the share capital, with the aim of guaranteeing in Europe an offer which ranges from the field of communication to navigation, via observation and scientific research. Leonardo’s core business even goes beyond the Space Alliance: in the different Italian industrial sites, the group has developed tools that are and will be aboard the main probes for universe exploration. How can we forget the drill that will reach the Red Planet along with the ESA’s ExoMars mission and that, for the first time, will dig up to 2 meters deep into the Martian soil, searching for potential evidence of past life? Or also the atomic clock, more stable and precise than any other clock and used for the satellites of the European Galileo constellation? Once the satellite is ready, and ground services have been organized, we just have to prepare for the launch. Once more Italy is there, thanks to Avio, one of the few listed space companies where Leonardo is a significant shareholder. Avio’s flagship product is the VEGA launcher, a project which was born in Italy and has become one of the strengths of the European offer in terms of access to space. The propulsion systems manufactured by Avio are also a key part of the large European launcher, Ariane. We are talking about the carbon-fiber solid rocket motor, P120. The innovative propulsion systems manufactured by Avio represent a big success for the Italian industry and research, which allowed to achieve a wide consensus in a strategic sector such as the launcher industry, characterized by a fierce competition. In a recent interview, Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio, has mentioned that launchers are a key asset for the growth of space economy: only six countries in the world are capable of orbiting a satellite, and Italy is one of them. The space offer is completed by e-Geos, an 80% subsidiary of Telespazio, whereas the ASI holds the remaining 20%. Its task is carrying out development, production and marketing activities related to services, products and applications in the field of Earth observation. The ASI also shares with e-Geos the Matera Space Centre, an operational hub handling remote sensing, Earth observation and space geodesy services.
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THE FORGE OF SPACE by Silvia Ciccarelli @Silvia_Cicca
The 2021-22 edition of the Italian Space Industry Catalogue was published in September. It offers the widest, most complete and updated overview of the industrial offer in the space field, at a national level. The Catalogue is an international promotion, visibility and export support tool which has reached its fifth edition and was born at the initiative of the ASI, which prepares the catalogue on a yearly basis with the support of ICE Agenzia and in partnership with the three national industrial associations, AIAD, AIPAS, and ASAS. The Catalogue is also a useful tool to monitor and analyze the state of the industry. What emerges is an extremely wide and complex framework of skills: large and small (fig. 1) companies, highly competitive and dynamic and with a strong international footprint. The distribution on the national territory confirms a few specialization clusters across the Rome, Milan, Turin and Naples areas, thanks to the presence of centers of expertise and infrastructures of international importance (fig. 2). In the South, as well as the Campania region, also the Apulia region is characterized by a dynamic context which places it amongst the most significant regional actors, not only in the national landscape. The headquarters of the largest company with fully Italian capital in the field of space are located in Apulia. Sitael has grown quickly in the last few years, has offices and facilities which are distributed throughout the Italian territory and has opened itself to important opportunities in foreign markets: «We have grown thanks to a continuous and fruitful relationship with the territories where we settled, both in Italy and abroad, and at the same time we have cultivated a
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passion for innovation along with Universities and research centers. The synergy with other companies of the group, such as MerMec, allows to make immediately available several useful services based on Earth observation satellites in the railway and infrastructure sector. The partnership with the ASI is a catalyst of energies », says Marco Molina, Managing Director Sales and Products at Sitael. The Italian space industry is also capable of attracting foreign capitals. Today, the other two European large system integrators, Airbus and OHB, can be found in Italy, respectively with Airbus Italia and OHB Italia; this reflects the fact that Space is an international matter. «AIRBUS Italia involves in its name the vision of a stable and lasting inclusion of AIRBUS activities within the Italian industrial landscape, taking advantage of the undisputed technical skills available in our country and making available the structured approach and the opportunities for growth of the first European aerospace company. (Franco Alberto Fossati, CEO of Airbus Italia), while Roberto Aceti, CEO of OHB-Italia, says that «Space has become an essential industry for the economic growth and development of a modern country. In such scenario, and in terms of large space companies capable of integrating complex satellite systems, Italy positions itself as a key piece to support scientific research and space-based services for the benefit of the community, and to boost an integration between the different players on the field for an increasingly effective safety at the national level». But there are also other interesting testimonies of international players who have chosen Italy for the European market. For example Tyvak International, the first international branch of the U.S. company Terran Orbital Corporation, which is one of the key stakeholders at the global level in terms of manufacturing small, micro and nanosatellites, and more recently Nanoracks Space Outpost Europe, European branch of the U.S. Nanoracks, which is known at the international level for being the largest single business user of the International Space Station, have both settled in Turin. Two New Space stakeholders with a global footprint, which have chosen Italy as a reference for Europe and for projecting towards Asia. Also LICIACube, the first deep-space mission independently developed and managed by a strong and wide Italian team, has been manufactured in Turin: it is based on Argotec’s industrial capacity and on the skills of a team of researchers, coordinated by the National Institute of astrophysics (INAF). «In Argotec we developed HAWK, a one of a kind microsatellite which is capable of surviving deep space and that has been chosen by the NASA for two ambitious missions – says David Avino, CEO of Argotec – An important milestone for a fully Italian company, which continues to develop and produce in our country." Among the most dynamic companies is D-Orbit, in the Como area. Luca Rossettini, founder and CEO of D-Orbit, highlighted the disruptive effect and the huge opportunities of New Space for the national space industry: «D-Orbit is currently the first national private company in terms of number of payloads in orbit, with several mis-
The Italian space industry is also capable of attracting foreign capitals.
A D-Orbit ION satellite vector travels to space atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
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sions scheduled for 2022 and the Q1 missions already fully booked. As of today, the company has over 140 employees, with a current growth of the personnel which is equal to 80% vs 2020, 40 open positions and a continuous growth of revenues. Furthermore, D-Orbit is capable of accelerating, up to 90%, the required time to reach the TRL9 of innovative technology aboard the ION missions» (Luca Rossettini, CEO D-Orbit). In several cases, these are small and medium-sized realities, characterized by a great liveliness, international projections and attention towards business ethics, as well as economic results. Planetek Italia is a consolidated Apulian company, active in particular in the field of Earth Observation and added value services. The company is looking for young talents, also thanks to new important contracts, including the award of the tender for the provision of services to ENI to support global design, environmental monitoring and energy transition activities. «The convergence between government SGDs and industry ESGs is committing us to a transition from the production of Geoinformazione (Earth Observation) to the manufacturing of predictive GEO-Analytics (Earth Intelligence), all of this within a deep transformation of the value chain which leads to overcoming the differentiation between Up-Stream and Down-Stream, towards an interconnected continuum that we define as SPACEDGE™», says Giovanni Sylos Labini, CEO of Planetek Italia, who has recently taken part in the works of the B20 forum under the G20 Italian presidency, where he could bring the contribution of the Space sector in one of the Task Force reports.
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Geographical distribution of the national space companies, including secondary offices, on a regional basis. Source: drawn up by S. Ciccarelli, based on data from the 20212022 Catalogue.
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Galileo: the made in Europe navigation from Earth to the Moon by Giuseppina Pulcrano @pinucciapin
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Satellite navigation: a pillar of the new space economy, it guarantees important services and ensures a significant economic return.
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Galileo is a global radio localization system for the terrestrial, maritime or air transport sector, which uses a network of artificial satellites in orbit. It provides, with extreme accuracy, the geographic coordinates, the altitude and speed of any fixed or mobile mean in any place of the globe, both in proximity to the surface of the Earth and in the atmosphere, with temporal continuity. Designed for both civil and commercial use, the Galileo constellation was officially born on May 26th, 2003, with an agreement between the European Union and the European Space Agency and provides for the orbiting of 30 artificial satellites in orbit (24 operational satellites and 6 replacements) on three planes inclined of about 56 ° with respect to the terrestrial equatorial plane and at an altitude of 23.925 km. Before Galileo, the two global reference systems were the US Global Position System (GPS) and the Russian GLONASS. The first satellite of the 24 expected satellites which constitute the first-generation Galileo constellation was launched aboard a Soyuz carrier rocket on December 28th, 2005; the last two satellites are now ready at the European spaceport of Kourou, and the launch is scheduled for the coming month of November. Now consolidated in Europe and the world, Galileo will be integrated shortly by a second generation of satellites, named G2G (Galileo Second Generation). The contracts for the development of twelve new satellites, for an overall amount of 1.47 billion euros, have already been assigned to ThalesAleniaSpace (Italia) and Airbus Defence & Space (Germany), with the first launch scheduled in less than four years’ time. The challenge is consolidating Galileo’s position as one of the best GNSS in the future, by improving its precision, ensuring new services for the users, increasing the safety of the system and reducing the operational and maintenance costs. The future satellites will be characterized by digital payloads, more accurate onboard atomic clocks and advanced protection mechanisms against jamming and spoofing and enhanced navigation antennas. They will be easily reconfigurable in orbit to adapt to the requirements of the users; electric propulsion will allow to optimize the launch of satellites and the inter-satellite connections will allow to conduct routine cross-checks and reduce the dependence on ground-based facilities. Galileo’s social and economic relevance should be highlighted. According to a recent estimate by the European Union, satellite navigation accounts for a 6%-7% economic development of the European GDP, about 800 billion euros. «Satellite navigation is a pillar of the new space economy. It guarantees important services for the community of users and ensures a significant economic return on investment, which will be even stronger with the G2G.», says Alberto Tuozzi, head of the Telecommunications and Navigation division of the ASI.
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The Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) mission, defined through an ASI/ NASA agreement, fits into this context and aims at developing the positioning activity in lunar and cislunar environment. As well as the LuGRE experiment with the NEIL – Navigation Early Investigation on Lunar surface – receiver, the mission will carry to the Moon nine other scientific and technological experiments. Scheduled for late 2023, it will be carried out with a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrier rocket. The NEIL GNSS receiver with SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology, named after the first man to touch the surface of the Moon, Neil Armstrong, is at the heart of an agreement between the Italian Space Agency and the NASA, related to the CLPS 19-D mission, scheduled to land with a lander on the Moon’s Mare Crisium basin in 2023. NEIL was developed by Qascom S.r.l., on behalf of the Italian Space Agency. In perspective, the GPS and Galileo services may be used on the Moon and for the orbiting lunar station (Gateway), for the constellations of lunar satellites, for lunar vehicles and rovers and for the whole infrastructure that is currently being developed on Artemis programs. The collected and processed raw data will be made available to the scientific community to study the lunar and cislunar environment and assess the future use of the GNSS and its evolutions to support permanent missions.
CREDITS: ESA. The release of the in-orbit validation satellites (IOV).
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THE SPACE ECONOMY ON THE G20 AGENDA by Fulvia Croci @ASI_spazio
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The space economy – the industry that includes the economic activities related to space – was the protagonist of the “G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting” organized by the Italian Space Agency last September 20th and 21st. The meeting was attended by the major space agencies in the world, international organizations and companies of the industry. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the relevance of the space economy’s contribution to the global economy and the need to add this theme to those addressed in the summit. The idea to create a “Space Economy Leaders Meeting” was born on the sidelines of the Saudi presidency of the G20, last year, to raise the level of attention on space at government and international level, taking advantage of this discussion forum which represents the most relevant countries in the field of space. Space is one of the pillars on which the evolution of our society is based: it allows to create new professional profiles and innovative solutions for the different industrial supply chains, which can increase the opportunities to access the market. In detail, the space economy generates investments equal to 447 billion dollars: the industry grew by 4.4% in 2020 at global level and will grow up to about 1 trillion dollars in the next ten years. Italy is one of the countries which stand out in the industry, with a lively community of companies equipped with excellent skills and a global footprint. This community is represented by large companies and – for eighty percent – by small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, which are capable of innovating and anticipating the new technological trends. «The meeting with the leaders of this year’s G20 – said the president of the ASI, Giorgio Saccoccia – was a perfect oppor-
CREDITS: ASI. Above, the president of ASI Giorgio Saccoccia.
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tunity to raise the level of attention on the role that space and the space economy can provide to the goals of the G20 and the future of our society. We are aware that adding the space economy to the G20 agenda may require some time, but we are determined to continue in this direction. Furthermore, the G20 countries can act as space ambassadors also for the developing countries, which haven’t yet had the opportunity to grasp the potential of this industry to build a sustainable future». The same opinion is shared also by the representatives of the companies of the industry who attended the second day of the meeting. The numbers which emerged from the session speak for themselves: the Italian space industry is one of the engines with the higher impact and potential for the recovery and growth of the country in the medium and long term. Specifically, the industry contributes to the economic development and innovation of our country with over 7.000 professionals and 200 companies, which produce a turnover of 2 billion euros. All speakers underlined that space data, technologies and infrastructures are increasingly related to vital areas for the society and bring employment, increase of opportunities and better life standards. For these reasons, they need to become more and more accessible, so that all humanity can enjoy these «We will become a multi-planet race: this is benefits. Among the key points, partithe wish expressed by the President of the cular importance was placed on climate changes and sustainable development Italian Space Agency, Giorgio Saccoccia, projects favored by space technologies in a recent message. Space has become and applications, also in view of the a driving force for economy, capable of COP26 meeting co-chaired by Italy and generating a positive impact on many the United Kingdom. other sectors. This is shown by the fact «Over 50 years of activity produced that space is one of the themes of the G20 great benefits for the society; – said and the Dubai EXPO. In this context, the the Undersecretary of State for Foreign National Space Day will be established on Affairs, Manlio di Stefano, guest of the th session dedicated to companies – today December 16 , to promote the awareness we are facing growing challenges and of the citizens as regards space activities we need to keep up the effort to mainand their positive impact on our country». tain the balance of our planet and to support a sustainable economic growth, in line with the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Our country supports the addition of the space economy to the G20 agenda and this forum contributed to highlight the importance of the partnership between the industrial sector and institutions in the G20 community».
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Mediterranean Aerospace Matching (MAM): Building our Future is an international event, created and designed by the Apulian Aerospace Technological District (DTA). Among the organizers are: the Apulia region, ITA (Italian Trade Agency), ASI (Italian Space Agency), ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation Authority), Aeroporti di Puglia (AdP), ARTI (Regional Agency for Technology and Innovation) and Puglia Sviluppo, with the partnership of Leonardo and Intesa Sanpaolo. It’s the first international aerospace event created and held in Apulia, which involved round tables, B2B meetings and flight demonstrations and also allowed small and medium-sized enterprises and innovative startups to meet international investors and representatives from the major aerospace companies. The MAM put Apulia at the center of the international aerospace universe, with a daily average of 1.000 visitors in presence (the maximum allowed due to the Covid-19 restrictions), over 90 national and international speakers, 11 panels and a dozen flight demonstrations. «The choice of Grottaglie for this event confirms that Southern Italy has specific skills to play a leading role for the recovery of the country also in the aerospace sector. Apulia is one of the major aerospace realities in Italy and aims at becoming an advanced center of attraction and development for the “New Space Economy”, thanks to the experimentation activities of aerospace technologies carried out with the support of the industry at the “Marcello Arlotta” airport. The reflection on the future perspectives of space transport sees, once more, Italy in the first line with the ambitious project of Grottaglie spaceport”. These are the first words sent by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, on the occasion of the first edition of the MAM. Among the main initiatives, which are the subject of future projects in the days of the MAM, is the Municipality of Bari’s adhesion to the European project of Smart Cities. The first day, dedicated to the themes of Advanced Air Mobility, had a few key stakeholders of the aerospace sector as protagonists: Leonardo, Boeing, Lockeed Martin, Ge Avio Aero, Volocopter and Ehang, along with representatives from bodies and municipalities. An important result, in this context, was the entry of the Municipality of Bari as “Associated partner” and the Apulian DTA as “Knowledge partner” in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Initiative Cities Community (UIC2). Such adhesion allows the Municipality of Bari to be among the cities of the European project of Smart Cities, supported by the European Commission, to which only the Municipality of Turin has adhered so far in Italy. Urban Air Mobility will use highly automated aircrafts to carry passengers or goods under the radar within urban and suburban areas, at the service of the public administration and citizens. The Drones Beyond 2021 was an unprecedented event: along with 18 companies and bodies which measured up in different operating scenarios, 13 flight demonstrations were carried out with the use of drones, in a real operating environment (the Grottaglie airport and
FROM SPACE TO GROTTAGLIE FOR A BETTER FUTURE by Fiorella Coliolo @ASI_spazio
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the surrounding land), showing concrete examples of highly feasible solutions. Four thematic areas were covered: event management activities; safety of infrastructures; new products and aerial work. The Drone Beyond 2021 is a project by DTA Puglia which shows how drones can conduct missions and provide services to improve our daily lives. It was a showcase, although partial, of existing products and solutions, which provided to an audience of experts and potential users an indication on the state of development of a few technologies and applications. In perspective, the Drones Beyond project aims at becoming a regular appointment to present and discuss the state of the art of the industry. The second day of the MAM, on the theme of “Space for the prosperity of the Planet” and the new frontiers of space transport in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) with a focus on Space factory, as a unique opportunity to relaunch the Italian national economic system, was attended by Giorgio Saccoccia, president of the ASI, along with representatives from Avio, Polytechnic University of Milan, ESA, Reaction Engines, Sitael, Thales Alenia Space, Oneweb. On the international front, two inspirational talks were given by Dan Hart, President & CEO of Virgin Orbit, and Clay Mowry, Vice President, Global Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience of Blue Origin. At the “Global Space Economic Workshop (GSEW) 2022” we will talk about Space Rider, an innovative ESA’s space transportation system which will depart in 2023 for its first mission from Kourou, in the French Guyana. The Grottaglie airport may host the return of the space transportation system; the spaceport, recognized by the ENAC as “National spaceport for the sustainable development of the industry of suborbital flights”, is currently undergoing the regulatory phase to become, as soon as possible, the Italian place for access to space. «The Space Rider – says Luca del Monte, Head of Industrial Policy and SME of the ESA – will be capable of carrying out missions for technological
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Views of Grottaglie and the Apulian coast.
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and scientific experimentation, from pharmaceuticals, biomedicine, to biology and life sciences, and providing commercial services. Such themes and the potential choice of the Grottaglie site for the landing of the shuttle will be further discussed by the ASI and the ESA during the next few months. The agencies will also discuss the marketing policy related to the Space Rider and will present the first elements of this reflection in the upcoming GSEW@Italia, which will take place in Apulia next spring». Since 2018, the Aerospace Technological District has chaired the Global Space Economy Workshop (GSEW@Italia) and every year, with the support of the ASI and the ESA, hosts meetings on different themes. Of particular interest is the presentation of the «Talent Gap» report, a study by Artur D. Little and DTA Puglia on the phenomenon of talent gap in the Italian aerospace sector. The main reasons behind the gap between the demand of the companies operating in the industry, in terms of expertise and professionalism, and the offer expressed by fresh graduates from universities was presented to a multidisciplinary audience, offering insights on the actions to be put in place to train and attract young talents, in order to keep the competitiveness high in the Italian aerospace sector. The study highlights the need to support and promote vertical technical skills related, in particular, to specific technological and digital contexts and, at the same time, strengthen transversal and flexible skills. For the ASI, the MAM was the occasion to award a prize to the DRB Aero startup company. 25 startup companies selected by the ICE, the agency in charge of promoting foreign trade and the internationalization of Italian companies, took part in the MAM’s Pitch competition. Among the 7 winners, the ASI award, delivered by Mauro Piermaria, Head of the Innovation and Space Economy Unit, went to the DRB Aero start-up company, represented by Diego Piazza, co-founder and CEO. DRB provides autonomous drone inspection services for transmission lines / electric distribution, production sites of renewable energy, industrial plants and infrastructures. The ASI has chosen to award a prize to DRB Aero for the innovativeness of the proposal and the potential for use in different industrial settings. Therefore, the three days of the MAM allowed to create opportunities to meet between Startup and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises to favor a further integration of the Apulian aerospace system at national and international level. The Grottaglie area, for an industrial development with a strong vocation towards research and innovation, confirms itself as a suitable place for a biennial appointment: «We have the responsibility to continue the journey that we have started before, and that we have developed now, with the MAM. The Grottaglie spaceport plays a strategic role and is ready to go», as highlighted by Alessandro Delli Noci, councilor for Economic Development of the Apulia region. The MAM themes and initiatives are in line with the strategic guidelines on which the DTA operates.
The three days of the MAM allowed to create opportunities to meet between Startup and innovative small and mediumsized enterprises
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RESEARCH & INNOVATION IN A LINKED SYSTEM: THE EXPERIENCE OF APULIA by Letizia Davoli @letiziadavoli
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This is how the Aerospace Technology District introduces itself in its home page, with a claim that contains, in four words, 11 years of history, territory, projects: research and innovation make a linked system. We are talking about the development of know-how and technologies for the aerospace industry, while we imagine the future and we work for it to become present. A work that lead the DTA, in just over a decade, to be one of the 100 Italian excellences in the field of aerospace research and development, thanks to a territory which boasts a long history in the industry of aeronautics and manufacturing of aircrafts, around which gravitate 550 small and medium-sized enterprises with over 7900 employees and exports for 738 million euros, 12% of the national exports. «The Apulian aerospace district – says Giuseppe Acierno, who created and funded the DTA and has chaired it since its formation – gathers about 80 of these companies; around these small and medium-sized enterprises, a subcontracting system has been developed which has increased the number of involved companies, whose core business, anyway, isn’t aerospace. It’s a community which is growing day after day, but it’s not yet big enough. One of our targets is expanding the production base of the aerospace and having more small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the industry». Because of this, the DTA was born 11 years ago. It’s a joint-stock consortium company with 26 partners, including large companies such as Leonardo, Avio Aero, Sitael, 2 research centres (ENEA and CNR) and 3 Universities (Polytechnic University of Bari, University of Bari and University of Salento). «The DTA - explains Acierno – is a sort of operating arm of the Apulian aerospace, which maps out strategies and promotes concrete actions to push the accelerator in regards to the consolidation and specialization processes of the territorial system. In these years, we have invested over 200 million in training, research and development, obtained by winning tenders and competitions and closing contracts that guarantee work also for the next three years, until 2023». Therefore, Apulia is looking at the future with happiness and with the belief that the region can continue to grow thanks to additional direct investments, such that the DTA is already working on the next three years. «10 years ago, the Apulian system gathered around the production and maintenance of aerostructures. Same as DTA, we started to bet on new topics – explains Acierno -, such as manufacturing and new methods of production, in view of the arrival of carbon fiber and out-of-autoclave production technologies, followed by the topic of additive manufacturing. We also bet on autonomous flight systems – such as drones –, on the technologies related to Earth observation and on topics linked to satellites, such as production and design. This is how we managed to expand and diversify the whole territorial system, around which also a public and private research system gathers today: a technical-scientific component which helps us to consolidate this path of specialization in new production fields». The DTA bets also on young people, and the development of new production lines is accompanied by new university courses, master’s pro-
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grams, PhDs and training activities. «On the one hand we bet on these segments – explains Acierno – and on the other we worked on the human capital, with training programs which will guarantee a concrete support to development, because it’s people who do things». The strongly innovative character of the Apulian district carries with it also the enhancement of the opportunities offered by the territory, such as the Grottaglie airport, which in 2018 was designated as Spaceport by the Ministry of Transport. Currently, the District is working on two fronts: the adequacy of infrastructures – along with ENAC, ASI and Aeroporti di Puglia – and the operational dimension, that is the necessary activities to attract the subjects that will use it. «This second front – says Acierno – is still an immature market even if something, in the world of drones, is already moving. We already have two initiatives with the Municipality of Bari, located in the control tower, which allows us to enhance our capabilities to support the testing and development activities of services related to unmanned flight and be ready whenever the market will require it». But the most ambitious objective is turning Grottaglie into an operational spaceport. «We’re working to ensure that Grottaglie becomes the place of access to Space for Italy, in order to guarantee a commercial and strategic independency to the country – explains Acierno -. The first step has been offering Grottaglie as a landing site for the Space Rider program of the European Space Agency, even if at the moment the program is planning to land in Kourou or in the Azores». The Virgin Group is another possible customer, and there have been a few contacts also with Blue Origin. «But Blue Origin takes off and lands in a vertical position, and Grottaglie is not suitable for it. Virgin, after the recent setback of Virgin Galactic, can resume its flights, but Virgin Orbit, which will go commercial in 2022, offers major opportunities: we can imagine opportunities even there and we invest to understand what should be done in terms of infrastructures and technologies to make it possible. For now, we are betting on unmanned flight, which is already a reality in Grottaglie: at the MAM we presented a strong program with several experimentation and testing activities, also with the support of Leonardo and Telespazio. Grottaglie is not only infrastructures and airspace, but also technologies and services. And this makes, and will make, the difference».
The most ambitious objective is turning Grottaglie into an operational spaceport
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A live recording of an impact. This is the challenge in deep space of LICIACube (Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids), the ASI microsatellite built in the Argotec laboratories. As big as a box of boots, LICIACube was selected by the NASA as an integral part of the DART mission, the first demonstration of deflection of an asteroid’s trajectory through kinetic impact. The launch is scheduled for November 24th, the impact after 11 months. «DART will be the bullet, LICIACube will be the eye witness, as well as being what will remain of the mission», says Simone Pirrotta, Program Manager of LICIACube for the ASI. Developed by the John Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), on behalf of the NASA’s Planetary Defense Office, DART is the first probe built to crash into a celestial body. DART will host LICIACube during an 11 million km journey. The destination is the binary asteroid system Didymos, composed of the namesake and larger primary asteroid and its small natural satellite, Dimorphos. Dimorphos, a body whose nature is yet to be determined and with 160 meters diameter, is DART’s target. LICIACube will separate from the NASA probe 10 days before the impact to take a picture of it. «DART’s signal will be lost. Our first goal is confirming that the impact has happened, which is by no means sure» says Marilena Amoroso, LICIACube’s Deputy Program Manager for the ASI. The impact aims at modifying the orbit of Dimorphos, which has been chosen because it’s easier to measure any changes in its relative orbit around Didymos. Initially, the NASA had designed DART without LICIACube, foreseeing to observe the effect of the impact from ground level. The investigation will be easier with LICIACube. «DRACO, the camera onboard DART, will see Dimorphos only along the direction of impact, while LICIACube will have a different angle during its flyby – says Amoroso – From its images, the DART/LICIA-
AN ALL-ITALIAN CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY by Giuseppe Nucera @NuceraGius
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The Italian interplanetary mission is the eye witness of the first orbital deflection of an asteroid
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Cube team will receive information such as dynamics, quantity and direction of the ejecta. Contributing to determine the effects of the kinetic impact, the images, combined with observations from Earth, will confirm the successful deflection of the asteroid’s orbit». However, the observation conditions will be extreme: LICIACube will transit at a speed of nearly 6 km per second. «Usually, the relative speed decreases progressively when approaching a body. – says Pirrotta – DART, instead, will have a high speed to provide an energetic impact. Even if it will try to slow down, LICIACube will carry out one of the fastest flybys in the history of space». The fast movement hampers the work of the orbital control and attitude system and its two cameras: LEIA, a panchromatic high-resolution camera, and LUKE, a wide field RGB camera, will take together triplets of pictures every 6 seconds. Even if they will acquire images for over 5 minutes, it is not sure that the impact will be captured. «It may happen in-between pictures. However, only us will be able to observe the development of the plume, which is the debris cone that will be lifted» says Amoroso. To observe such dynamics, the technological challenge will be not losing sight of the path and target: LICIACube will use the onboard artificial intelligence to review any trajectory errors and, thanks to tracking techniques, to always have Dimorphos under fire. «As we wait for the launch and the mission data, as a matter of fact participating in the DART mission has already offered an opportunity for Italian researchers and engineers to train while living a unique experience. – concludes Pirrotta – The average age of the team is quite low; among them are the protagonists of the next challenges in deep space». LICIACube is the first Italian interplanetary mission managed by the ASI with the active contribution of experts belonging to Argotec, INAF, Polytechnic University of Milan, University of Bologna, Parthenope and CNR-IFAC.
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Ixpe An innovative mission that will study the universe in the high-energy range is ready to start, and will bring with it a significant Italian contribution: we’re talking about IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), a space observatory equipped with three telescopes to measure X-ray polarization. The mission, announced in 2017, has been developed within the NASA’s SMEX (Small Explorer program) program and its launch, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrier rocket, is scheduled for next December 9th. The new space explorer will allow astrophysics to analyze – with unseen detail – several types of extreme celestial objects, such as black holes, neutron stars, magnetars, pulsars and remains of supernovas. The common element between the specimens of this cosmic menagerie is their significant density and ability to heat surrounding gases up also to scorching temperatures of million degrees. Such heat generates an X-ray emission from the gas at issue, with a radiation that can orient itself in a particular direction, which means that it can be polarized. The key elements of the mission – the first one to be fully focused on the measurement of polarization in X-rays emitted by cosmic sources – are the three telescopes, equip-
A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON HIGH ENERGIES by Valeria Guarnieri @ASI_spazio
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ped with detectors that are capable of performing such operations. These tools were developed by a group of researchers from the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), with a funding from the Italian Space Agency, which will provide further support by making its “Luigi Broglio” Space Center in Malindi available for data reception and the ASI-SSDC for the processing and scientific analysis. From an operational perspective, the three telescopes will focus the X-rays on the GPD (Gas Pixel Detectors) detectors which, in turn, will simultaneously measure the peculiarities of each X-ray photon (position, energy, arrival time and polarization angle); based on such data, scientists will be able to establish the direction of origin of the celestial source from which the X-rays stem from and the surrounding environment. In fact, the polarization angle indicates the direction of the illuminant source, whereas the degree of polarization indicates the relative distance between the source, the cloud and the observer. The innovative characteristics of the GDPs will allow IXPE to study both particularly extended objects and point sources.
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IXPE will enable to study the physical processes of radiation emissions and particle accelerations in environments with extreme magnetic and gravitational fields. Among them is Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole located at the core of the Milky Way, which is the object of a study on the applications of the mission: the essay, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, has been edited by researchers from the ASI, INAF, INFN and the University of Strasbourg. «We’re unable to directly investigate what happens near objects such as black holes and neutron stars – said Barbara Negri, Head of Exploration and Observation of the Universe Department at the ASI -, but by studying the X-ray polarization emitted by the surrounding environments we can obtain information on the physics of such objects, which are extremely interesting for astrophysics. For this reason, a few Italian scientists had already thought of a similar mission several years ago, and the ASI had already developed prototypes of the relevant tools. With the IXPE mission - concludes Negri – we will finally be able to open a new window in the X-rays astronomy, which will allow to obtain significant scientific discoveries”.
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After years of postponements, the launch of the James Webb space telescope has taken on the contours of a legend. An almost Beckettlike wait, since 1989, when the idea of a Hubble’s successor (Hubble itself hadn’t started yet) initially named Next Generation Space Telescope was born. But unlike the Godot by the Irish playwright, the wait for the Webb won’t be vain: the NASA has announced a new launch date which, this time, should be final, that is December 18th, 2021. «The James Webb Space Telescope mission has been strongly troubled – says the astrophysicist Barbara Negri, head of the Human Flight and Scientific Experimentation Unit of the Italian Space Agency – if we think that it was designed one year before Hubble’s flight, over thirty years ago. But the technology was so advanced, and the costs were so high, that it took us much more than expected. Now, finally, everything seems to be ready for launch, and from a scientific perspective this mission opens up a brand new scenario for infrared astronomy: we’ll be able to go back in time, from the first stages of the Big Bang, study the formation of the first galaxies and look for possible conditions which are suitable for life on the exoplanets». The result of a collaboration between the NASA, the ESA and the Canadian Space Agency, the Web will be brought to space by a Ariane 5 rocket from the European space center of Kourou, French Guyana, where it arrived in mid-October after a 9300 km journey by sea, closed in a special “suitcase” named Starss (acronym of Space Telescope Transporter for Air, Road and Sea). But the journey of the space telescope has only just started. «It will arrive where no telescope has ever arrived, - continues Negri – it will be placed at the L2 Lagrange point, about one million
COUNTDOWN TO ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS OF THE CENTURY by Giulia Bonelli @giulia_bonelli
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and a half km away from Earth. Furthermore, with its 6.5 diameter segmented mirror it will be the biggest telescope ever sent to space, which imposes additional challenges for its in orbit deployment: from the deployment, it will take six additional months for James Webb to be operational». Once operational, and if everything goes as planned, the orbiting observatory will have an extra gear in terms of observation power. «It’s an anastigmat telescope: with its three curved mirrors, it’s able to eliminate the three main “errors” of astronomical observation, that is spherical aberration, chromatic aberration and astigmatism itself», explains the astrophysicist. The whole international scientific community, which sent proposals from all over the world, mobilized to take advantage of the Webb’s huge scientific and technological proposals. The selection process was extremely competitive: only 266 out of the 1.172 projects received by the end of last year were approved. Among them, nine projects were guided by Italian researchers, seven from the National Institute of Astrophysics, two from the University of Milano-Bicocca and the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. «It’s an American mission – explains Barbara Negri – therefore the NASA is in charge of the scientific control. But the great Italian skills had a significant impact: in addition to the nine proposals developed by the national scientific community, we also participate in about other forty projects where we make a significant scientific contribution, particularly as regards the observation of exoplanets, where Italy is really strong. And the James Webb’s results will be then made available to all science, which doesn’t have flags». In the meanwhile, however, someone has already started to do science based on the promises of the Webb: waiting for the long-awaited lift off, in the last few years there have been more and more scientific studies discussing what the future champion of space observation may discover, but several people think that, after all this wait, reality will overcome imagination.
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After years of postponements, finally, everything seems ready for launch
CREDITS: ASI/ ESA/NASA. In the previous pages the James Webb, Ixpe and LiciaCube experiments.
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DEFENDING THE PLANET: SPACE AS A STRATEGIC OUTPOST by Web editorial staff, ASI @ASI_spazio
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How can we protect the environment and preserve the extraordinary planet we live on? How can we ensure civil security from environmental disasters and crisis situations? What about climate change? How can we learn to understand and mitigate this complex phenomenon? Although the frontiers of human knowledge have been moved far beyond the boundaries of the solar system, some of mankind's most important questions still concern our planet and the relationship we have with it. The quality of our life on Earth depends on the answers to these questions, and today, more than ever, space technology is a valuable tool to monitor, analyse and provide solutions both globally and on a smaller scale. As far as services for the planet are concerned, space activities started with Telecommunications, but in recent years, Earth Observation has undergone a particularly remarkable evolution having a significant impact on different sustainability domains. Observing the Earth from space helps us to better understand what is happening on our planet, but not only in terms of climate change, the analysis of the seas and oceans, the monitoring of the poles, but also soil degradation and deforestation, or more local aspects, such as precision farming. Indeed, through satellite technology, we can predict a more productive and sustainable agricultural activity, with less use of water resources. If we focus on satellite positioning and global connectivity technologies, these technologies enable us to remain online while on the move, to optimise sea and air travel routes, with a consequent reduction in CO2 emissions. Space technologies therefore contribute, in various ways, towards a more sustainable planet, with fewer emissions and greater resource optimisation. The most concrete European response to the need to defend our planet is undoubtedly Copernicus, the complex Satellite Earth Observation programme launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in partnership with the European Commission. Its main objective is to guarantee Europe substantial independence in collecting and managing data on the state of health of the planet, supporting the needs of European public policies by providing accurate, reliable services as regards environmental and security aspects. Based on a series of six types of satellites named Sentinels and specialised in specific applications, Copernicus, now in its second generation, is operating as a true orbiting environmental monitoring network. The first three Sentinel missions are based on a constellation of two satellites precisely to meet the needs regarding the 'revisit' time (critical in emergency management) as well as the coverage. The system is based on the analysis of Earth observation data provided by satellites and local monitoring networks. Once the data has been analysed and co-ordinated, it will be made available to end-users such as national, regional, and local authorities and agencies, environmental and civil protection organisations, to name but a few. Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67 %) and Leonardo (33 %), has always played a role of paramount importance
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in this programme. It is involved in five of the six new missions to extend the Copernicus programme and has signed three contracts with the European Space Agency (ESA) to extend the current capabilities of the Sentinel satellites to fulfil EU policy and citizens’ needs. Thales Alenia Space will also be responsible for developing the payloads of two further missions: the CO2M mission, dedicated to measuring global anthropogenic CO2 emissions and thus playing a key role in studying the causes of climate change, through its monitoring, and the IRIS altimeter on board the CRISTAL mission. The volume of orders resulting from recent tenders is around €1.8 million. "This means hundreds of highly-qualified jobs and safeguarded scientific and industrial know-how, all on European soil," commented Massimo Claudio Comparini, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia. The integration of space-based radar and optical sensors is essential to monitor the Earth and its life indicators. Thales Alenia Space now covers a wide range of innovative solutions and contributes substantially to the major industrial challenge of a more sustainable planet enshrined in the extension of the Copernicus projects. "We are fully involved in the projects and, thanks to the state-of-the-art of our instruments and the reliability of our space systems," added Comparini, "Thales Alenia Space will play a key role in making possible the accurate monitoring of climate change and the efficient and safe exploitation of Earth's resources." On the other hand, the CHIME mission will carry a never-before-seen infrared spectrometer operating in the visible and short-wave ranges. It will provide routine hyperspectral observations in support of new and enhanced services in sustainable agricultural and biodiversity management, as well as for the characterisation of soil properties, a key element for healthy vegetation. Italy plays a leading role in the Copernicus programme, also thanks to the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which has both signed and guaranteed a significant commitment by our country in the field of Earth Observation, based on the excellent results of the COSMO-SkyMed programme, now in its second generation, which has demonstrated ASI's visionary capacity and the cutting-edge skills of the Italian space industry. In this race against time, the enormous amount of data we obtain thanks to satellite constellations is probably, together with Digital Twin technologies, the most powerful scientific tool available and Space is definitely a privileged observation point.
Italy Plays a Major Role in Earth Observation & Monitoring
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Exploration has been written in our DNA since when the Homo Sapiens departed from Africa to conquer the Planet. Today’s conquest is about space. However, the typical courage and ability to innovate of human beings are combined with political events and choices by the governments. This story may start with Galileo, the first to create a tool and a scientific method to explore the sky. Then, at the beginning of the XX century, we have the true dreamers: the pioneers of space exploration, that is Konstantin Ciolkovskij in the Soviet Union, Robert Goddard in the United States and Hermann Oberth in Europe: it’s the beginning of the adventure which brought us to the conquests of the last sixty years. At the basis of each exploration, there is a transgression of culture: human beings are never ready for the most extreme adventures, but protagonists are, with their ability to see beyond and, above all, back up their own views. Let’s take the case of Oberth. His dissertation was based on theories that were rejected, because they were regarded as fantasies. People didn’t understand his innovation and the German physicist published a book out of it, which became a best-seller in 1923. A forerunner of rocket science and astronautics, Oberth will even become the master of Werner von Braun, the creator of Saturn V, the rocket which launched the man to the Moon. The new space race is played with very different rules compared to the past. Even if the military development is at the core of it, it’s the economy which gives a major boost. It’s hard to imagine that today space agencies are able to finance the exploration of the cosmos, therefore some dreamers, such as Musk and Bezos, have found in the world of economy the boost for a space business. Confrontation and competition have also contributed to kick off again the conquest of Space. Today, for example, China is the counterpart to the Western exploration. With the rover Zhurong, landed on Mars in May, China experimented for the first time landing technologies which are similar to those of the U.S. Perseverance rover. An outstanding confrontation, a competition played at a very high level which certifies the status of China as a major power. A story of the past, with an extraordinary and horrifying tone, links the two countries. Qian Xuesen, the Chinese scientist who developed the first space launchers during the Thirties, became the first collaborator of Theodore von Kármán, the theorist of space engineering and founder of the Jet Propulsor Laboratory, the research and design centre still funded by the NASA. However, at the end of the Forties, with the arrival of McCarthyism which saw Communists everywhere, he was singled out as a spy. Confined to house arrest and then traded in for some American pilots, once he returned to China he became the pioneer of missile space technology, at the core of the conquest of Space.
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SPACE EXPLORATION: A GREAT HUMAN ADVENTURE by Web editorial staff, ASI @ASI_spazio
Taken from the Francesco Rea’s interview with Giovanni Caprara, science journalist and author of Breve storia dello spazio. Avventure e scoperte di uomini e robot, Salani Editore, 2021.
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