On Thursday 17 April, inside the conference hall of the Villaggio IN Italia in Taranto, set up within the Aragonese Castle, the conference entitled “Suborbital flight and the National Spaceport: developments and future prospects” took place, a symposium organised by the Air Staff as part of the seventh leg of the Amerigo Vespucci's Mediterranean Tour.
The event was included in the schedule of the “Villaggio IN Italia” (Village IN Italy), a venue for storytelling and sharing the “World Tour – Villaggio Italia” project, promoted by the Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto, with the backing of 12 ministries, with the aim of promoting Made in Italy excellence and showcasing around the world the culture, history, innovation, gastronomy, science, research, technology and industry that make Italy a universally appreciated country.
The conference was attended by the area's leading military and civil authorities, along with numerous stakeholders who, on the occasion, were able to explore the subject of the construction of a national spaceport, destined to become a crucial hub for Italian and international space operations with major advantages in terms of technological innovation, economic opportunities and scientific development.
In this context, the positive impacts that this Italian space hub will have for the Italian Air Force and the entire country system were explored in depth, and it was highlighted, among other things, the active role of the Armed Service in the development and management of space infrastructures, so much so as to highlight the importance of global aerospace cooperation and the future of space missions.
The conference was enriched by the valuable contribution of Colonel Dario Tarantino, of the Air Force Staff, who focused on the coordination and management of air traffic under the responsibility of the Italian Air Force within the context of suborbital operations. Particularly interesting was the live link with Colonel Walter Villadei, an Italian Air Force astronaut, who from Houston provided a contribution on the significant opportunities that suborbital flights, alongside the commercial aspect, could represent for specific applications in research supporting military capabilities (Missile Defence, technology, propulsion, flight dynamics, etc.).
Concluding the event, the Air Brigadier General Edi Turco, Chief of Staff of the Schools Command / 3rd Air Region of Bari, who in his opening address focused on the role of the Armed Forces and Defence in the development and management of space infrastructure and wished to emphasise how the creation of the spaceport is a project “which brings with it a vision of growth and interconnection of infrastructure and transport capabilities, and represents a concrete opportunity for our country. The challenges linked to the planning and development of this infrastructure are not easy, but with the joint commitment of all the players involved, I am convinced that we can look to the future with confidence. Our ultimate goal is clear: to ensure that scientific, academic, entrepreneurial and military development proceed together, in synergy, to maintain and strengthen the excellence of the national aerospace sector. The Italian Air Force is ready to play a leading role in this project; we will make our expertise, technologies and infrastructure available to contribute to the progress of this sector.”
