Jan. 29, 2016
Two hundred and eighty enrolments, 42 presentations structured into six different thematic sessions, 22 hardware exhibitors in a specially equipped area: these are just a few of the numbers linked to the first Workshop on national component production for Space organized by the Italian Space Agency at its headquarters in Rome from 18 to 20 January.
For three days, the entire Italian E&E (electrical and electronic) components sector, including a wide and varied (for size and turnover) array of companies producing value-added goods and services - not just in the aerospace field - had the chance to measure itself against the main institutional representatives and the world of research.
“Days like these - said the president of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Roberto Battiston, as he welcomed the guests - are fundamental if we are to face increasingly difficult international competition: we need to measure up and gain knowledge of how many and which resources, skills and excellence we can count on.”
“These - Battiston added - are the ‘Estates General' of a journey that has already begun among us: the challenge is not just to succeed in achieving autonomy, but also excellence in components. This challenge is possible only if it becomes an industry challenge.”
The workshop in Rome was, in fact, the arrival point and also the new starting point of a long phase of preparation work, followed by various sectors of the Agency and coordinated in particular by the Technology and Engineering Unit, led by Roberto Formaro.
Italy has established its leadership - along with France and Germany - in European space activities that include a wide spectrum of skills ranging from ground-based systems and space access systems to satellite, robotic and human flight infrastructures. The basic assumption is that, in order to maintain this leadership, continuous large investments, both governmental and private, in technological development are essential (with technology push and mission pull logics).
At the same time, in order to face the increasingly reduced budgets, we need decision-making leadership and guidancecombined with systemic coordination that is able to create “road maps” to direct investments along sustainable lines of development, making it possible to take advantage of the opportunities offered by European institutional players (ESA, EDA, EC, etc.).
“Component production - Formaro explains - is an essential part, sometimes the majority, of all space systems. In economic terms, its relevance and importance are absolutely strategic.”
“ASI's commitment - he continues - is aimed particularly at creating dialogue between industry and research and will also involve prestigious institutes like ENEA (National Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment) or the INFN (National Institute for Nuclear Physics), focused on the effects of cosmic radiation both on components and on the human body.”
“For this reason - Formaro concludes – ASI will launch a national plan for the development of a high-tech satellite platform and, at the same time, a Tender for the development of low TLR components (low 'technological maturity', editor's note).”
This First Tender will be addressed to the entire industry (world of research, institutions, small, medium and large businesses) and its aim will be to identify key technologies for the great missions of the future.