Precious on Apulian aerospace ecosystem and nanotechnologies

Puglia is increasingly placed at the center of initiatives related to the development of space economy. During 2019 the Virgin and some aerospace companies have planned two long-term programs in Grottaglie in Puglia with joint investments by the Virgin Group e sitel: one with Virgin Orbit for launch activities and the other with Virgin Galactic and Altec for suborbital flights. Programs that enhance the vocation of the Apulian industry in the aerospace technologies, drones, cyber security and smart cities sector.

In this regard the general Pasquale Preziosa, former Chief of Staff of the Air Force until 2016, has written a very interesting article published in the Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno which illustrates all the new development opportunities in the aerospace sector to facilitate the restart of the regional production system.

General Pasquale Preziosa

The new space economy for Puglia, writes Preziosa, will find its moment of synthesis at the Fiera del Levante in the context of workshop organized by Puglia region and from Aerospace Technology District chaired by dr. Giuseppe Acierno.

Il Strategic Group of restart for Puglia, named after the Covid 19 Pandemic, produced his initial work with indications of projects that can be implemented immediately for the restart of the regional production system.

Among the various projects developed by Strategic Group that was included of the Apulian aerospace ecosystem.

Puglia has built up a piece of its competitiveness, its modernity and its innovative drive in recent years, with the development of this sector, gaining visibility and positioning in the international context and creating a collaborative and competitive territorial ecosystem. Today, after Covid 19, an unexpected and disruptive factor of change and transformation in the sector and its industrial supply chains, there is an even greater need than yesterday for policies and interventions that can, on the one hand, guarantee the competitiveness of the sector, and maintain employment. and the integrity of the industrial supply chains that have developed over time, on the other support a new phase of development through the enhancement of new emerging technologies.

The District has made satellite technologies and autonomous flight (drones) two of its main lines of development, looking at the enormous opportunities that can open up through the use of these technologies by young people from Puglia to meet the needs of citizens or the Public Administration .

The Strategic Group has confirmed the validity of the guidelines undertaken by the Apulian aerospace ecosystem, but it is now necessary to give a new boost to the various sectors of research and industrialization in light of the new strategic competition in progress.

The commercialization of the Space Sector and its economic implications represent the last geo-economic frontier.

The space sector is of fundamental importance for the entire Italian and European industry and Puglia can represent the launching ground for intercepting the new technological trajectory identified by the most industrialized countries

The attention of analysts is now focused on the occupation of low orbits for both civil and military purposes.

The mini and micro satellites are today the most suitable tools for low orbits and Puglia can already express good skills in this sector.

Estimates from consulting firms predict that 2028 satellites (about 9.938 per year) will be launched into space by 1.104, 86% of which will be small satellites. Exponential growth is expected to accelerate further after 2028.

Several companies and start-ups are planning to create satellite constellations. But all of this is not enough for the ongoing strategic competition.

The development of the aerospace sector is changing demand in at least four sectors: missile launchers, mobile launch platforms, satellites and new materials for aerospace.

At the Berlin Space Congress on 18 October 2019, the Federation of German Industries (BDI) launched the initiative of a German floating launch platform for small launchers, the so-called micro-launchers, which can also be used by European countries.

Europe has the need in the context of the strategic autonomy pursued to develop also remotely piloted aerial platforms capable of putting mini-micro satellites into orbit in a short period of time, to meet immediate needs due to emergencies.

Italy and Puglia in particular have the technological bases to be able to develop these strategic capabilities for the country.

New materials and nanotechnologies

The other area that deserves attention is the creation of new materials using nanotechnologies and entirely recyclable for an economy Green to replace old metal materials.

It is known that resin-based compounds reinforced using carbon fibers and carbon nano structures (Carbon Nano Tube, Carbon Nano Fiber, etc.), as well as being mechanically more resistant than steel, also have characteristics of elasticity and shape memory notable, that is, they bend but do not break and resume their original shape after stress.

The sector of materials and nanotechnologies for aerospace applications e automotive it is very relevant, both in terms of new materials and of improving the characteristics of aerospace vehicles.

Using materials such as CC enriched with metal nanoparticles and / or carbon nano tubes, and materials such as nanostructured polymethylpentene to increase mechanical strength, represents a new frontier of R&D to find new shielding and mechanically and thermally resistant materials to be used in space for the construction of the structures of future space colonies and spacecraft.

To recover the value chain and intercept the technological trajectory of the most industrialized countries, it will be necessary to create a green factory for the production of carbon yarn that, with subsequent reworking, makes it become fabric, making it also available to sectors other than aeronautics and space such as the automotive sector. , railway, wind power of sporting goods combining it with known and developing non-technologies to confer innovative technological characteristics.

This activity is extremely energy-intensive and must find the solution through the installation of off-shore or in-shore wind farms that could guarantee low-cost energy and above all clean energy.

Puglia is the leading region for the production of clean energy but has no industrial capacity to produce wind turbines.

In a context of circular economy, the carbon fiber built in Puglia will be able to feed the wind turbine factory which will produce the energy necessary to power the manufacture of the carbon yarn.

The carbon fiber based thermoplastic resin are completely regenerable.

Having the material and the entire processing chain that is becoming commonly used for the construction of satellites, airplanes, boats, wind generators, cars, can guarantee a fundamental role of Puglia in the national and European economy.

Puglia, in the Taranto area, Grottaglie, has all the characteristics for the construction of a Green industry for the creation of new technologically advanced materials, both for the aerospace sector and for other industrial sectors.

The technologies for the realization of the industrial transformation path are available in Italy and can feed the adaptation path of the Apulian space ecosystem to new European needs.

Precious on Apulian aerospace ecosystem and nanotechnologies