The Armed Force's expertise in the aerospace sector made available to redefine the relationship with space and its potential impact on Earth
From 5 to 7 December 2023, the Nuova Fiera di Roma hosted the fifth edition of the New Space Economy (NSE) Expoforum, a trade fair dedicated to the space economy that involved the Italian Air Force, alongside the main industry players who contribute to the development of human, technological and industrial capabilities, enabling them at both national and international levels.
With the patronage, among others, of the Ministry of Defence, the NSE provided the Italian Air Force with the opportunity to actively contribute to the debate, making available to participants the expertise it has developed by acting as a catalyst for activities relating to human spaceflight, as a natural extension of its domain.
In addition to the participation in the round tables by key figures of the Armed Force, such as Brigadier General Roberto Vittori – Head of the General Space Office and ASI/ESA astronaut, the Italian Air Force offered an exhibition area rich in activities aimed at giving participants a unique and immersive experience. Thanks to virtual reality and simulators, and the organisation of short conferences aimed primarily at young male and female students, the personnel of the *Arma Azzurra* highlighted the various professions and technologies that make the Italian Air Force a leading player in space operations. In fact, most Italian astronauts come from its ranks, including Colonel Walter Villadei, a member of the Ax-3 mission who will reach the International Space Station in 2024, and Captain Andrea Patassa, an Italian Air Force experimental test pilot who, right at NSE, had the opportunity to share the personal and professional journeys that led to him being selected as a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Reserve.
As part of the panels and conferences, topics such as the opportunities linked to future lunar missions, the discipline of space weather, and how the Italian Air Force has structured its operational activities were addressed. The space domain is in fact the natural extension of the Italian Air Force's mission, Aerospace Defence. Space weather, or space meteorology, is the discipline that studies physical phenomena in space, mainly of solar origin, capable of generating significant impacts on crews and technological systems.
Another important theme was that relating to Meteorology and the importance of its communication. The awareness of what we forecast in fact plays a fundamental role for those called upon to make decisions. All of this through the study and adequate experience of the Italian Air Force, placed at the service of the community with a language and procedures that are indeed scientific, but above all usable by the end user. In this sense, communicating in a simple and consistent way represents the most important challenge for those who, as a meteorologist – a role that is both “scientific” and “communicative” – find themselves having to recreate a straightforward language that is not unknown, but disused.
The professional opportunities offered by the Italian Air Force were also presented to the students in attendance. “With Passion towards the Future” is the slogan that will accompany the Italian Air Force's recruitment campaign for 2024. The Air Force is called upon to operate in highly diverse contexts, both in Italy and abroad, with expertise and specialisation, acting as a leading player in the aerospace dimension. There are many profiles in which to play a leading role: flight, engineering, medicine, IT and artificial intelligence, as well as cyberspace, the legal and administrative areas, and many other sectors. To enable young people to steer themselves towards the future they desire, it is necessary to contribute by promoting an informed career choice, allowing them to understand the training pathways and career developments that the Italian Air Force is able to offer.
Finally, taking a dive into history, the New Space Economy provided the right setting to present the book “L’Aeronautica Militare e il programma San Marco” (The Italian Air Force and the San Marco Programme), written by Giovanni Caprara and part of the editorial series dedicated to the Centenary of the Armed Force. As Inspector General Basilio Di Martino also recalled, the celebrations for this centenary are drawing to a close with 2023, making way in 2024 for those marking the sixtieth anniversary of the San Marco programme, which led Italy to launch its own satellite on 16 December 1964, making it the third nation in the world after the United States and the USSR to do so.
