Italy in Space: Strategic Overview and Security Aspects

Abstract

Space is relevant for humankind. This is more than a concept to be agreed upon or not; it is a fact. People on Earth rely on space capabilities, applications, and services more than in the past, and it is quite impossible to think of “a day without space.” Italy has a very long history and heritage in the space sector. Starting from the period of the “space race,” Italy researched and developed technology, systems, operations, and applications over the years, and today, Italy has national telecommunication and Earth observation systems, participates in the main space-related international organizations, and has very strong bilateral collaborations in the space sector. Considering the aforementioned, Italy recognizes that the space domain is becoming more and more congested, contested, and competitive. Therefore the need for a space security program is one of the pillars in the national strategy.