Yesterday afternoon, in the presence of the Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini, a collaboration agreement was signed between the Air Force and the Emilia-Romagna Region relating to the sector of human exploration of space and commercial space flight. Guerini: "Space is increasingly at the center of geopolitical and economic confrontation. Defense, the reference institution in the field of human space flight and cyber".
“Space is increasingly at the center of the geopolitical and economic confrontation between the major world powers. Today's agreement is the demonstration that the collaboration between the sector industry, the University and the military world is crucial to guaranteeing the country an opportunity for technological growth and economic development. Today's agreement is the demonstration that Italy enjoys a strong international technical-scientific positioning and Defense confirms that it is the reference institution in highly specialized sectors such as those of human space flight and cyber ".
Thus the Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini following the signing of the protocol, signed this afternoon at Palazzo Baracchini, between the Air Force and the Emilia-Romagna Region.
The agreement was signed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Air Team Alberto Rosso and the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region Stefano Bonaccini.
"It is necessary to continue to invest in space to contribute to scientific and technological progress, to the productivity of the industrial sector, to the growth of the national economy by enhancing the entire supply chain made up of large groups and numerous small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the country" commented Guerini speaking of the agreement that focuses on research and development in the commercial spaceflight sector and human exploration of space.
As part of the collaboration, cosmonaut Lieutenant Colonel Walter Villadei, identified by the Air Force, will train at the Houston aerospace center in the United States of America. During the specialization at NASA through the delegated company AXIOM SPACE, the Italian Officer will also cover the functions of liaison for the industrial development activity with the Emilia-Romagna research bodies who intend to develop a direct cooperation project with the US operators of the space sector.
"Italy - underlined Guerini during his speech - confirms its long tradition in the field of research and space, the third country in the world after the United States and the Soviet Union to have its own satellite in orbit in 1964 thanks to the intuition of the Air Force General Luigi Broglio ”.
The Agreement, which recognizes the interest in the field of human space flight and the Space economy, is part of the guidelines provided by the Government that indicate the human exploration of Space as one of the sectors on which to focus attention and efforts due to the importance of the potential strategic fallout.
