Yesterday the President of the United States Donald Trump signed the SPD-4 directive for the establishment of a Space Force, under the command of the Air Force. In addition to the opportunities of the Space Economy, it is clear that space is the next frontier of the military sector, the next terrain in which superpowers and beyond will express all their power in an attempt to immediately establish spheres of influence. For this reason, the military is very sensitive to this new challenge which must necessarily be agreed upon by everyone: Politics, Defense, Industry, Politics and Research.
Even in Italy the subject is not neglected at all. Today, Defense Minister Elisabetta Trenta took part in the workshop "New Space Economy: Challenges and Opportunities to harmonize Politics, Industry and Research in the space sector", organized by AIPAS, the Association of Businesses for Space Activities and hosted byItalian Space Agency (Asi).
About 200 delegates participated in the event, inaugurated by ASI extraordinary commissioner, Piero Benvenuti, including representatives of ASI, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Commission, the world of politics, industry, research and academia.
The Minister of Defense, Elisabetta Trenta
"I would like to underline the importance of the Space Economy at a global level, which sees the participation of an increasing number of international players. The reform of the governance of Italian space activities, which entered into force on 25 February 2018, marks a significant turning point for Italy. The new law gives a strong boost to the national space economy, strengthening it within the European framework, and represents a great opportunity for a better connection between Politics, Industry and Research. This is why our country is viewed with interest at an international level, but in order to grow further it needs adequate tools for the challenges that await us. Space activities are not just research, but directly affect small and medium-sized enterprises and large industry. The industry needs policies that support and sustain growth. I believe it is now necessary to adopt a long-term strategic vision and to see space as a new frontier with enormous economic potential".
President of AIPAS, Luca Rossettini
"The aim of the workshop is to bring together the main players in the space sector, such as Italian and European institutions, the traditional market industry and the representatives of the emerging new space market, with the aim of aligning the vision of the entire sector towards an Italian growth even beyond national borders".