space activities report 2005 italy
TRANSCRIPT
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AGENZIA SPAZIALE ITALIANA Via di Villa Grazioli, 23 - 00198 - Rome – Italy
http://www.asi.it
Organizations’ names or companies’ names are used in this report for
identification only. This usage does not constitute an official endorsement,
either expressed or implied, by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
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The Italian Space Agency (ASI), in charge of the promotion, development and spread of the scientific and technological research, by elaborating the space activities strategy, in the year 2005,
has been engaged to implement the following “application oriented” guidelines of the National
Space Plan 2003-2005, in accordance with the National Research Plan (PRN):
- Development of public utility services- Development of space infrastructures and instrumental technological products- Strengthening and enhancement of Italian space scientific knowledge- Development of bilateral and multilateral international cooperation- Promotion of complementary policies, among which the development of technological transfer
opportunities and growth of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The ASI total budget for the fiscal year 2005 has been around 700 M€, out of which around 50%has been dedicated to the ESA programmes and the rest of the budget to national, bilateral and
international programmes and projects. In particular, the activities and the programmes, aimed at improving the quality of life, the
industrial competitiveness and supporting the global sustainable development, have been organized
in the National Space Plan in the following sectors:
- Earth Observation- Observation of the Universe
- Telecommunication and Navigation- Manned Space-flight - Medicine and Biotechnology- Space Transport - Education
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COSMO-SkyMed, a dual-use Earth observation satellite system, being developed by ASI in
cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Defence, within the framework of a bilateral
Intergovernmental Agreement between Italy and France, will make use of the most advanced
remote sensing technology for the four X-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites,
providing high imaging resolutions that will be processed by a complex and geographically
distributed Ground Segment infrastructure, manufactured by Italian industries. The first satellite
will be launched by the end of 2006.
The COSMO-SkyMed Earth Observation programme will provide, inter alias, an important
contribution to the natural disaster management system, by monitoring, controlling and managing
natural disaster risks, among which forest fires, floods, landslides and oil spills.
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An important cooperative effort devoted to the management of the natural disasters and
emergencies is the bilateral cooperation between Italy and Argentina within the joint programme,
named “Italy and Argentina Satellite System for Emergency Management” (SIASGE). The system
will use the Italian COSMO-SkyMed constellation and the Argentinean planned constellation of
two SAOCOM L-band SAR spacecraft.
In the framework of the natural disasters, research and development preliminary studies have been
implemented for the following applications: seismic hazard and Volcanic Risk; marine pollution, in
the context of DISMAR (Data Integration System for marine Pollution) international project; fires,
landslides and floods prevention, in collaboration with the Civil Protection Department.
In the field of remote sensing observation, ASI is developing the instrument ROSA, (Radio
Occultation for Sounding of Atmosphere), that will provide for important information about space
weather, meteorology and climatology. This instrument will be installed on the Indian satellite,
Oceansat-2, according to a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by ASI and ISRO, in Fukuoka,
in October 2005, and on the Argentinean SAC-D satellite, in cooperation with NASA.
Italy is interested in the development of hyperspectral technologies and gained an important role in
the capacity of applicative utilization of satellite data. Particularly in the hyperspectral remote
sensing technique, ASI is investing in the national project HyPSEO.
At international level, Italy and Canada signed, in June 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding for
Cooperation in the field of Earth Observation and, in October 2005, an Implementation Agreement
on cooperation in a joint definition phase for a Hyperspectral mission.
At European level Italy participates to the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security
(GMES) programme, identified in the European Strategy for Space approved by the EU and ESA
Ministerial Councils in November 2000.
At multilateral level, ASI is member of the Committee On Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), the
Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) and the Group on Earth Observation (GEO).
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Solar System Exploration
In the field of exploration of the Solar System, most of the Italian activities of the last two years
were dedicated to the exploitation of first data coming from the European probe, Mars Express, inorbit around Mars, the launch of Rosetta Mission and the arrival of the Cassini probe to Saturn and
its moon Titan. As far as Mars Express is concerned, a good deal of articles about the results of the
Italian instruments aboard the probe was published in several scientific magazines.
Onboard Rosetta probe, travelling toward the Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet, there are three
Italian instruments: the imaging spectrometer VIRTIS, the instrument GIADA, Grain Impact
Analyser and Dust Accumulator, for the analysis of the dynamic of the comet dusts, and the
instrument SD2, Sampling Drill and Distribution, installed on the lander Philae.
Italy participates to the NASA Discovery Program, DAWN that will characterize the conditions and
processes that existed when the solar system was initially formed, and investigate in details two of
the largest proto-planets, having remained intact since their formations: Ceres and Vesta. ASI
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collaborates to the design and development of the instrument, Mapping Spectrometer, which is a
simplified version of the instrument VIRTIS, on board Rosetta mission.
Italy participated to the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), with the realization of the
shallow radar, SHARAD, that will probe the subsurface of the red planet, using radar waves at 15-
25 MHz frequency band, in order to get the desired high depth resolution, with the objective to seek liquid or frozen water up to the first kilometre of the Mars’crust. MRO was successfully launched in
August 2005 and it is on its way towards the Red Planet.
Italy is the main supporter of ESA optional programme, AURORA, with the purpose to give an
important contribution to the “Worldwilde Vision for Exploration”, in the areas of main excellence
for Italian industries and science community: radar systems, spectrometry, telecommunications,
robotics and innovative space propulsions. AURORA programme is focused on the robotic and
long term human exploration of Mars and other bodies of the Solar System.
By adopting the same philosophy of Mars Express mission management, ASI participates to the
ESA Programme, Venus Express, by implementing the assembly and test activities of the probe, atthe Alenia Spazio facilities, in Turin. Venus Express will investigate, inter alias, the atmosphere of
Venus, in order to better understand the origins of the “greenhouse effect”. Venus Express was
successfully launched in November 2005, from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Italy participated to the ESA mission, SMART-1, devoted to the moon exploration and
investigation of the utilization of the electric propulsion. In particular, Italy participated to the
micro-camera AMIE and the Electric Propulsion Diagnostic Package (EPDP). Launched in 2004,
the satellite is currently in orbit around the moon.
ASI actively participates to the International Working Groups leaded by NASA, such as
International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) and International Mars Exploration
Working Group (IMEWG). ASI in collaboration with ESA organized, in May 2005, in Sarteano
(Italy), a workshop on “International Cooperation on the Sustainable Space Exploration”, in order
to discuss possible mechanism of cooperation among international partners and to make
presentations of current space activities and future programmes in the field of “Lunar”, “Mars
Robotics”, “ISS and Exploration”, “Technology” and “International Cooperation”.
High Energy Astrophysics
In the field of the exploration of High Energy Astrophysics, the Italian tradition, consisting in the
collaboration among astrophysicists and particle physics for the realization of particle detectors,gave an important contribution to the European Missions, such as XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL
(INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysical Laboratory), fully operational and to American
Programmes, such as Swift, launched in November 2004 and the future mission GLAST.
A national mission deemed to the study of the Gamma Ray Sources is AGILE (Astrorilevatore
Gamma a Immagini LEggero), equipped with an instrument composed of two detectors, capable of
producing images through the utilization of the silicon detector technology. The satellite is made up
of the ASI standard platform MITA and the launch is scheduled for the early 2006.
The magnetic telescope, PAMELA (Payload for AntiMatter Exploration and Light nuclei
Astrophysics), is the evidence of the Italian-Russian cooperation for the measurement of spectra of antiprotons, positrons and nuclei in a wide range of energies, to search for primordial antimatter and
to study the cosmic ray fluxes over half a solar cycle. The physical issues addressed by these
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observations include: role of Grand Unified Theories in Cosmology in relation to antimatter and
dark matter, processes of acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays and the relationship between
solar, terrestrial and heliospheric processes and energetic particle propagation in the heliosphere.
Italy participates to the international project for the development of the Alpha Magnetic
Spectrometer (AMS), which represents a high energy particle physics experiment in space to beinstalled on the International Space Station, in 2008, for at least three years of operation. It will be
able to investigate the composition of cosmic rays and will provide the most sensitive search for the
existence of anti matter nuclei and for the origin of dark matter.
Cosmology and Fundamental Physics
During the year 2005, Italian scientific activities have been implemented for the participation to
ESA Program Herschel, with the objectives to study the formation of galaxies in the early universe
and their subsequent evolution and to investigate the creation of stars and their interaction with the
interstellar medium. Italy will provide for qualified technological instruments, such as digital
processing units, onboard software, calibration instruments etc. The launch is scheduled for August2007.
Italy, also participates to the ESA mission, Planck, with the objectives to study the fabric of the
Universe, and to help astronomers to develop theories describing its birth and evolution. Planck will
examine cosmic microwave background radiations with an accuracy never achieved before. The
Low Frequency Instrument will be designed and built by a consortium of more than 22 scientific
institutes, led by the Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica (INAF) in Bologna, Italy. The
launch is scheduled for August 2007.
An important asset of excellence for Italy is the ASI’s Launch Base for Stratospheric Balloons, in
Trapani (Sicily). Several experiments can be carried out just as well in “near space” environment,
where access is much cheaper. The stratospheric environment is, in fact, suitable for a vast series of
missions reproducing space conditions: radiations, temperatures, height from the ground, and
composition of the stratosphere itself.
At the quote of 40 kilometres, these balloons represents a good “observatory” of the Universe and
with the experiment BOOMERANG (Balloon Observations Of Millimetric Extragalactic Radiation
ANd Geophysics), Italy continues to play an important role in the international collaboration, for
development and exploitation of the observatory of the Cosmic Microwave Background: the results
appeared in the scientific magazine, “Nature”, in 2000, provided an exciting high quality data for
cosmology.
A second launch was successfully performed in 2003 and the programme is going on with anational experiment, mission B2K5, planned for June 2007, where most of the instrument will be
improved, in order to get finer scientific data.
Italy participates to the ESA mission, LISA Pathfinder that will test the general concepts and
technologies needed for highly accurate formation flying and precise measurement of the separation
between two very distant spacecrafts. This technology is essential for future ESA-NASA
programme, LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), which aims, inter alias, at searching for
gravitational waves. The launch of LISA mission is scheduled for 2012.
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In the field of telecommunication, ASI has started, in 2005, the development of two national
projects of telemedicine: an applicative project based on the utilization of space-based technologies
for the remote medical assistance and an operative project for the integration and inter-operability
between the wide band satellite communication system and the terrestrial communication network,in order to guarantee the envisaged Telemedicine Institutional Services.
As to the security and emergency applications, ASI has started, in 2005, the development of the
following two national projects: an application project for the emergency management of Civil
Defence and Protection and an operative project for the integration and inter-operability between
the wide band satellite communication system and the terrestrial communication network,
particularly in mobile communication systems.
In addition, at European level Italy participates to the ESA programme, ARTES (Advanced
Research in Telecommunication Systems), which aims at further increasing the competitiveness of
European industry in satellite telecommunications.
With reference to the navigation systems, Italy participates to the Galileo programme, which is
being implemented in three phases: Definition, Development and In-Orbit Validation and Full
Deployment and Operations.
Italy participates to the precursor mission for the GALILEO system, consisting of two satellites:
GSTB-V2/A and GSTB-V2/B, “baptized” in November 2005, Giove A and Giove B. In particular,
Italy, since 2003, has contributed to the development of GSTB-V2/B, whose primary purpose is to
secure the filings allocating global radio frequencies and to demonstrate and validate all
technologies previously developed under the GALILEO project. The launch of Giove B is
scheduled for early 2006.
In the framework of the Navigation and Positioning application, with the utilization of the services
provided by GPS, EGNOSS and GALILEO systems, three studies of applicative national Macro-
Projects on Security and Transportation have been implemented, in 2005, in accordance with the
National Space Plan: Security of air transportation, through the improvement of traffic
management, in compliance with environmental requirements; Security of dangerous freights,
taking into account possible risks from accidents causing damage to people, environment and
viability; Security of maritime transportation, for a better efficiency of operational activities, such
as rescue and maritime first aid and navigational traffic management, particularly in the port areas.
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The Italian activities are mainly devoted to the assembly and utilization of the International Space
Station. In particular, Italy contributed with the development of three pressurized Multi-Purpose
Logistics Modules (MPLM). The Raffaello module flew to the ISS, during the Return to Flight
Shuttle Mission STS 114, in July 2005.
Italy also contributed, through ESA, to the development of Node 2, which interconnects the
assembly elements of the ISS, and Cupola, a special window on space, allowing the ISS crew to
manoeuvre the robotic arm and thus facilitate the assembly of the various parts of the Station.
The Italian Society ALTEC (Advanced Logistic Technology Engineering Center), a joint venture between the Italian Space Agency and private companies with the scope of supporting the
International Space Station and offering a wide range of services for the station’s users and
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customers, continues to provide the sustaining engineering activities for the MPLM missions to the
ISS.
In April 2005, the Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori took part in the Soyuz Eneide mission. For
Vittori, that was his second trip to the Space Station: in 2003, he took part in the Marco Polo
mission, also on board a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.During the Eneide mission, Vittori carried out a programme comprising 22 on-orbit experiments in
the fields of biology, human physiology, technology and education. Many of these were developed
by Italian researchers and built by Italian industry and research institutions.
The mission was co-sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Defence and the Region of Lazio, in the
framework of an agreement between ESA and Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency.
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In 2005, ASI has been engaged to implement three main applicative projects in the field of
Osteoporosis and Muscular Atrophy, Motion Control and Cardio-respiratory problems and
Biotechnologies applications.
Italy participates to the “European Programme for Life and Physical Sciences and Applications,
ELIPS. The objectives are to maximise the benefits to society by the utilisation of the International
Space Station, to promote European competence and competitiveness in life and physical sciences,
to pursue basic scientific research in life and physical sciences and also industrial and commercial
applications in space, and to set up a coherent framework for European activity in this area.
In this contest, Italy contributes to the facility MISS, Mice on International Space Station, as the
evolution of the Italian facility MDS, Mice Drawer Systems. The use of rodents for scientific
research to bridge the gap between cellular biology and human physiology is a new challengewithin the history of successful developments of biological facilities. MISS is an ESA funded study
aimed at developing a facility able to support experimentation in space with mice in the following
research areas: Bone Physiology - Neuromuscular investigations - Neuroscience and Development -
Metabolic studies - Cardiovascular investigations - Behaviour.
Further contribution to the ISS utilization is the programme ALTEA, Anomalous Long Term
Effects in Astronauts. The tests conducted using the ALTEA hardware, fully developed by the
Italian industry, will help scientists characterize how the heavy ion radiation of space impacts the
brain and whether or not that radiation causes any temporary or permanent abnormalities in the
brain function and the visual system in particular. The launch is expected for the second half of
2006.
Italy is a new member of the International Space Life Sciences Working Group (ISLSWG), leaded
by NASA. In this field, ASI coordinates the national scientific community, particularly in the areas
of musculoskeletal system, neurophysiology, and biotechnological applications, which are in
compliance with the ISLSWG strategic planning.
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Most of the Italian activities in the non-reusable launcher sector are included in the ESAProgrammes, such as Ariane 5 (development and production support), Vega (development and
production support) and Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre.
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In 2002 ASI and Russian Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the
Cooperation on Launcher and Space Propulsion. Under the above Agreement some Italian and
Russian Companies are jointly working on the project MIRA concerning the development,
manufacturing and certification of a new engine operating with liquid methane as fuel, in order to
meet the requirements to the maximum extent of the project LYRA, future evolution of Vega
Launcher.
In the field of the reusable launchers, Italy is also involved in the ESA Future Launcher Preparatory
Programme. In addition, the Italian Space Agency’s activities are focused on the investigation and
evaluation of key technologies for future reusable space transport systems and on research studies
on innovative materials and structures for the space transport systems, such as Aerothermodynamics
and Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC). An application of these technologies will be
implemented in the CIRA Aerospace Research Programme, PRO.RA, funded by the Italian
Ministry of Education and Research. In this frame, the Space Program Office of CIRA, Italian
Aerospace Research Centre, is leading System and Technology activities finalized to the
development of Flying Test Beds (FTB), aimed at the in flight experimentation to test new
advanced technologies useful for the next generation of re-entry vehicles (Unmanned SpaceVehicle, USV).
In 1995 an inter-Governmental Agreement established the bilateral co-operation between Italy and
Kenya concerning the Italian Satellite Tracking and Launch Station, named “Broglio Space Centre”
(BSC), in Malindi (Kenya), taking into account the need to promote exploration and use of outer-
space for peaceful purposes.
The BSC, positioned in the equatorial area, is composed of the sea segment with four platforms and
the land segment with Telemetry, Tracking and Control facilities. Since January 2004, ASI has
been responsible for the management of the BSC, which supported several international
programmes, such as: Arianespace and Titan Launches; ESA and commercial satellite Early Phase
Orbit Support (LEOP); Chinese manned flight missions, Shenzhou, NASA mission, SWIFT and the
national mission Bepposax for TT&C support.
ASI is evaluating the feasibility of reactivating the launch servicing for small satellites from the
BSC.
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ASI promotes the education and culture of the space technologies and applications. Several
programmes are dedicated to teachers and students, by promoting the use of high-tech and satellitetechnology. In particular, ASI, in collaboration with the Italian Aerospace Research Centre, CIRA,
is coordinating the activities concerning the programme “Aerospace Educational Web Channel”.
The main purpose of this programme is to broadcast via satellite educational modules regarding
aerospace topics suitable for younger students. Supporting this programme is a web-site
(www.spazioallescuole.it), representing a cultural bridge between schools and the institutions,
which promote the spread of aerospace culture.
ASI promotes the Parabolic Flights for the student-made experiments, to be tested in quasi zero-
gravity condition and promotes Technical and Scientific Education for post graduated students,
representing the fundamental leverage to develop new competences and skills for the utilization of
applications and products in the field of high technology aerospace.
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At institutional level, Italy is engaged in several space initiatives with international partners, such as
USA, Argentina, China, Kenya, Japan and India.
In particular, ASI contributed to the establishment of the Gulich Institute, in Cordoba (Argentina),
in order to promote high level education in the field of Earth observation applications and
technology. ASI annually coordinates high level education fellowships, provided by the Italian
Government for Argentinean students, in the field of natural disaster prediction and risk management.
In the frame of the Inter-governmental Agreement between Italy and Kenya regarding the Satellite
Tracking and Launch Station of the Italian Base, “Broglio Space Centre”, in Malindi (Kenya), Italy
continues to support the technical education and professional training of Kenyan post-graduates and
doctorates.
In 2005, ASI started the elaboration of the new
National Aero-Space Plan (PASN) for the period 2006-2008
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Published: ASI – Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
Address: Via di Villa Grazioli, 2300198 - Rome – Italy
Editor: Gabriella Arrigo (email: [email protected]) Alessandro Gabrielli (email: [email protected])
International Relations OfficeStrategy, National and International Relations Department
Press date: Rome, February 3, 2006