The Italian Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, received this morning the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), Josef Aschbacher, to whom he reiterated Italy’s strong commitment to strengthening European cooperation in the aerospace sector:

“On this occasion, I emphasized the need to invest in this rapidly growing sector —as many other countries are already doing— which has significant implications, especially in terms of research and development, across civil, defense, and environmental domains", declared Minister Crosetto, who then added:

“I wanted to highlight that Italy not only participates, but leads with authority in the space sector: we are among the few countries worldwide with a complete aerospace supply chain —from launchers to orbital modules, including satellites and sensors— confirming our position among the top 7–10 spacefaring Nations globally and fourth in Europe by sector turnover. Programs such as Cosmo-SkyMed, Iride, Galileo, as well as the development of the ‘Space Factory 4.0’ in hubs like Rome, Bari, and Turin, demonstrate how Italy combines research, innovation, and advanced manufacturing, consolidating an extensive value chain with over 500 companies ranging from large groups and SMEs to start-ups in the fields of satellites, propulsion, avionics, and digital production.

A targeted effort to strengthen synergy among ESA, ASI, Defence, and the national industry in dual-use projects is therefore essential: only in this way can we sustain the competitiveness of our technological excellences at both European and global levels. Space is a strategic domain in which Italy and Europe must assert themselves more strongly, with greater autonomy and independence".

This meeting follows that one held last June 18, which took place on the sidelines of the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget (June 16–22).