The country is at the forefront in the technological sector intended for the cosmos. Thanks to public capital, but also to small and medium -sized companies, excellence of our productive fabric.
Italy scales the ranking of technological innovation in the “Space Economy”. Despite a scenario characterized by geopolitical tensions, international instability and the arm wrestling between the United States and the European Union, which would not seem to be in favor of a growth in the sector, the signals are instead of extreme dynamism. The confirmation came from the Space Symposium, which took place from 7 to 10 April to Colorado Springs, one of the main world events of the Airospace, a meeting point of the global space community that brings together over 10 thousand professionals, company leaders and decision-makers of this production area. On the stage “with stars and stripes” there was talk very Italian. Our country was in fact present with 31 companies active in space technology, led by the Ice-Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies, and by theASI, Italian Space Agency.
In this sector we play as a protagonist as indicate the numbers, Since we are the sixth nation in the world for relationship between investments in space and GDP, and the third in Europe. A research by Eurispes states that, in recent years, this ratio has almost doubled with an average annual growth of 9.5 percent.
Eighty -eight states in the world invest in spatial programs, 14 of which have launching skills of satellites and missions in the cosmos: Italy is among the nine with a space agency and a budget of over one billion dollars a year. In 2024 a turnover of 18 billion euros was made and a contribution to the export of about eight billion. The main reference market is represented by the United States. According to the data of the Trade Data Monitor Provided by the ICE office of Houston, the Italian exports of aerospace products to the US recorded an unprecedented acceleration in 2024, reaching a total value of 3.17 billion dollars, with an increase of 27.37 percent compared to 2.49 billion in 2023. This growth rate is more than double compared to that of the aerospace imports of the United States from the world, attested at 10.15 per cent.
«The ability and skills of research, industrial and technological skills of our aerospace ecosystem are prominent. And not because we think so, but because others tell us. We have many leading companies in the world, just look at the evidence with a global resonance of our production system »comments the president of ASI, Teodoro Valente, just returned from the symposium in Colorado during which he signed a Memorandum of Undersanding With his counterpart of the Korea Aerospace Administration (Kasa), with the aim of strengthening the collaboration already active between Italy and South Korea.
Always on that occasion, the ESA, the European Space Agency, He defined an agreement to finalize a five -year contract with Altec, a company controlled by Thales Alenia Space and ASI, for carrying out training activities, Logistics and Operations (Tlo) to support the operations on the International Space Station and future exploration missions.
While discussed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Spacex for the use of the Starlink satellite network, the Italian programs are not stopped. Last January the first satellite was launched, as a forerunner of the Iride constellation, the program for the observation of the land financed through the PNRR and coordinated by the European Space Agency with the support of the Italian one.
It is the first of a group of satellites made by the Argotec of Turin launched in recent months, while others will start within the year: overall there will be 25 by 2026. Iride will be a constellation of families of satellites, 68 in total. The program has a value of one billion and 100 million, of which 800 million financed by the PNRR and will be operational by June 2026. With this project, Italy will be equipped with a system that will not have equal, with radar and optical sensors capable of observing the earth in any atmospheric condition. Air quality, soil coverage and water resources management can be monitored. It will also be used for emergency and safety services.
David Avino, CEO of Argotec, underlines that “for the first time the country has such an important program that has also favored a return of the brains”. Over 400 people have already been hired for iris. Another challenge was the productive one: “Before one or two satellites were made per year, now one a week” confirms the manager.
Our country is also one of the very few to have a complete supply chain throughout the cycle: from access to space to manufacturing, from services for consumers to university and research centers, with an excellent distribution of activities throughout the territory. According to a study by icribis (Cribis company, leader of commercial information), the sector consists of over 340 companies: 94.2 percent make aircraft, space vehicles and related devices and the remaining 5.8 percent are dedicated to the components for production, such as seats.
The aerospace reproduces the more general morphology of the Italian industrial system: some international level champion such as Leonardo, Thales Alenia Space and Avio, and a myriad of small companies, 76.4 percent of the total (to be exact: 35.9 percent are SMEs and 40.5 percent are micro -enterprises) concentrated on highly specialized services. The sector therefore shows a high degree of industrial fragmentation and this limits the ability to attract private investments compared to European competitors. In France, however, Airbus dominates the market with a central role, while in Germany companies such as Ohb and Mt Aerospace have been able to build integrated supply chains between public and private.
Currently in Italy private investments are marginal, the incidence of private equity funds is limited and there is a strong dependence on public funding and European calls.
In France, Ardian and Bpifrance have actively supported the consolidation of local companies, while in Germany groups such as Deutsche Betheiligungs AG have financed strategic expansion operations.
In Italy, however, private equity funds have focused mainly on traditional sectors such as manufacturing and energy, leaving aerospace in a more vulnerable position. A large limit that must be exceeded. The government seems to be moving in this direction. The statements of the Minister of Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, on the possibility that the car components is converted for defense and aerospace, are significant. A choice of field to give even more strategic concreteness to this sector.
