Faenza (RA), Italy 5/11/2025 Engineers Traversa and Siena are working on a 3U CubeSat, a small modular satellite designed for Earth observation, telecommunications, and scientific experiments in space. During the integration phase, the satellite’s subsystems including power, communications, and scientific instruments are carefully assembled and tested before delivery to the launch provider or directly to the customer.Projects like this allow Italian start-ups to actively contribute to space exploration and make advanced satellite technologies more accessible. This Italian start-up 2ND space has an ambitious vision: to introduce circular economy principles in space, aiming to create a sustainable space environment by providing in-orbit services for satellite maintenance, repair, and upgrades

23/09/2024 Medicina (Bo) Italy Croce del Nord – Radar Spectrogram The slanted signals in the spectrogram are radar echoes from satellites in transit; their inclination indicates velocity through the Doppler effect. The Croce del Nord radio telescope, one of the largest of its kind, is part of the bistatic BIRALES system used by INAF and the Ministry of Defence to monitor space debris. These fragments, orbiting at speeds up to 28,000 km/h, pose a serious risk to satellites: continuously tracking their motion is essential to prevent collisions.

Sarcedo VI Italy 13/10/2025 Officina Stellare Optical technician in a clean room during the integration phases of space components. an Italian company specialized in the design and production of high-end optical and aerospace instrumentation, including telescopes, for both terrestrial and space applications. The company focuses on projects such as Earth observation from space, satellite and space debris monitoring, as well as future laser communications.

14/01/2025 – San Mauro Torinese (Turin) At Argotec, a leading Italian company in the field of aerospace engineering, a group of engineers gathers in the evening during one of the launches of the first Pathfinder microsatellite of the Iride constellation. The program aims to create a constellation of satellites for Earth observation, with a focus on the environment, climate change, and civil protection. From left: Ivan Atzori, Paul Daniel Motogna, Pasquale Smoraldi, Debora Orsitto, Stefano Caravario, Alessandro Gabrielli.

Roma RM Italy – October 30, 2025. School of Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. Remnants of the UNISAT-4 satellite, developed by SIA students and launched in 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard the Ukrainian Dnepr launcher. Due to an anomaly detected during the ascent trajectory, the launch control center ordered the safe self-destruction of the vehicle. The fragments of the satellite, found during the investigation, were later returned to SIA..

Varignana Bologna Italy 20/06/2025 Two amateur astronomers Damiano Soffiatti e Andra Maldonado Soare scanning the first stars of the evening with astronomical binoculars, ideal tools for locating bright or extended celestial objects before moving on to their Ev1 Unistellar telescope, designed for detailed observations of planets, stars, and deep-sky objects.The association Cielo Permettendo they belong to is not limited to practical observation: it also promotes scientific outreach by organizing public evenings and workshops, aiming to bring both adults and young people closer to astronomy and the wonders of the night sky. Initiatives like these help the public better understand the scales and distances of the universe while fostering interest in space sciences.

12/09/2025 Gera-Lario CO Italy At one of Telespazio’s sites, you can see impressive parabolic antennas pointing toward the sky. The company’s goal is to bring Space closer to everyday life, offering services to people, public institutions and businesses. Its work ranges from building space systems and managing rocket launches to controlling satellites in orbit, observing Earth, enabling communications, and supporting navigation and scientific missions.Founded in Italy in 1961, Telespazio is based in Rome and has more than 3,300 employees across subsidiaries and joint ventures. It is a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), and it is considered one of the world leaders in satellite services. Together with Thales Alenia Space, it forms the Space Alliance — a strategic partnership between Leonardo and Thales providing complete solutions for the space industry.

2/10/2025 Bologna Italy Experimental setup showcasing two different electroadhesive interfaces used to grasp a target material. Adaptronics is an Italian startup that develops adaptive mechatronic devices based on thin electro-adhesive films. This technology allows robots to grasp objects of any shape, size, or material, with applications in terrestrial logistics as well as in space, for example for the removal of space debris. The devices, equipped with tactile feedback, can be easily mounted on robots or automatic machines as plug-and-play systems powered by 24V.

Sarcedo Vi Italy 13/10/2025 Officina Stellare develops high-resolution telescopes for Satellogic satellites and the Italian IRIDE constellation, one of Europe’s key Earth Observation programs. Managed by ESA with support from ASI, IRIDE combines LEO satellites, ground infrastructure, and services for the Italian Public Administration. Equipped with instruments ranging from microwave radar to multispectral and hyperspectral optical imaging, up to thermal infrared, the telescopes by Officina Stellare deliver images with a GSD of ~0.7 meters, enabling frequent access to high-quality satellite data worldwidethree engineers are performing final checks in the clean room on a telescope

12/11/2025 Loiano BO Italy During nighttime sky observation, it becomes evident that light pollution generated by urban areas significantly reduces the visibility of the celestial sphere. According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), over 80% of the world’s population—and more than 90% in Europe—lives under skies affected by artificial light. In addition to this issue,there is a continual increase in the number of artificial satellites in orbit. According to recent ESA and NASA estimates, more than 40,000 objects are currently trackable in space, of which over 11,000 are active satellites, while the rest consist of space debris such as spent rocket stages, fragments from collisions, and other discarded components. It is also estimated that more than a million smaller fragments (≥ 1 cm) exist, which cannot be reliably monitoredThese factors — light pollution, satellite density, and orbital debris — increasingly interfere with astronomical observation and limit the quality of astrophotographic imaging of celestial objects, including planets, stars, and nebular regions of the interstellar medium.

2/10/2025 – Bologna, Italy Members of the Adaptronics team conducting laboratory testing. From left to right: Davide Bombardi (Software Engineer), Vanni Corso (Product Engineer), and Alessia Gloder (Director of Space Applications). is an Italian startup that develops adaptive mechatronic devices based on thin electro-adhesive films. This technology allows robots to grasp objects of any shape, size, or material, with applications in terrestrial logistics as well as in space, for example for the removal of space debris. The devices, equipped with tactile feedback, can be easily mounted on robots or automatic machines as plug-and-play systems powered by 24V.

27/01/2025 –Fino Mornasco (CO), ItalyThe entrance to D-Orbit’s clean room, where strict contamination controls protect spacecraft during integration. Visible through the window, an engineer prepares to enter the controlled environment. On the right stands a costume of Gea, the mascot for D-Orbit’s next-generation servicing vehicle of the same name.D-Orbit is a space logistics company founded in Italy in 2011 by Luca Rossettini. The company designs, builds, and operates spacecraft that transport satellites to their precise orbital positions, host technology demonstrations, and process data directly in orbit. As of December 2025, its ION Satellite Carrier platform has completed 20 missions, serving over 200 payloads for clients worldwide. D-Orbit is now developing GEA, an advanced servicing vehicle that will inspect, repair, and extend the life of satellites already in orbit — with a roadmap that includes active debris removal. By extending satellite lifespans and ensuring precise orbital placement, D-Orbit’s services contribute to the long-term sustainability of the space environment.

27/01/2025 – Fino Mornasco (CO), Italy Inside D-Orbit's clean room, Ludovico Colombo and Davide Landi work on the integration of an ION Satellite Carrier. D-Orbit is a space logistics company founded in Italy in 2011 by Luca Rossettini and Renato Panesi. The company designs, builds, and operates spacecraft that transport satellites to their precise orbital positions, host technology demonstrations, and process data directly in orbit. As of December 2025, its ION Satellite Carrier platform has completed 21 missions, serving over 200 payloads for clients worldwide. D-Orbit is now developing GEA, an advanced servicing vehicle that will inspect, repair, and extend the life of satellites already in orbit, with a roadmap that includes active debris removal. By extending satellite lifespans and ensuring precise orbital placement, D-Orbit's services contribute to the long-term sustainability of the space environment.

12/11/2025 – Bologna, ItalyReal-time night sky. Today, some mobile applications allow users to visualize in real time the congestion of the sky by satellites. Through global maps and updated visualizations, it is possible to track the positions of thousands of satellites and space debris, highlighting how crowded the space around Earth has become.These tools are not only useful for astronomy enthusiasts: they also help raise awareness of orbital congestion and the risks posed by space debris, providing an accessible and immediate form of monitoring for both operators and observers.

Loiano (BO), Italy — 26/12/2024 Control room of the Cassini Astronomical Observatory Dr. Albino Carbognani, INAF-OAS researcher, while pointing the “Cassini” telescope from the PC in the control room.The TANDEM project for monitoring space debris is one of the activities carried out by the observatory’s astronomers.The observations conducted by the astronomers of the facility focus on the field of Space Situational Awareness, ranging from the study of the orbits of artificial satellites/space debris to the minor bodies of the Solar System. TANDEM (Telescope Array eNabling Debris Monitoring) is capable of extending observations also to fast-moving space debris in lower orbits.

27/01/2025 – Fino Mornasco (CO), Italy Inside D-Orbit, a space logistics company founded in Italy in 2011 by Luca Rossettini and Renato Panesi. The company designs, builds, and operates spacecraft that transport satellites to their precise orbital positions, host technology demonstrations, and process data directly in orbit. As of December 2025, its ION Satellite Carrier platform has completed 21 missions, serving over 200 payloads for clients worldwide. D-Orbit is now developing GEA, an advanced servicing vehicle that will inspect, repair, and extend the life of satellites already in orbit, with a roadmap that includes active debris removal. By extending satellite lifespans and ensuring precise orbital placement, D-Orbit's services contribute to the long-term sustainability of the space environment.

Rome (RM), Italy – October 31, 2025. School of Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. Prof. Carletta Stefano presents a test model of a 6U CubeSat integrated with an air-bearing platform inside the Helmholtz cage at the Flight Mechanics Laboratory. These systems allow the recreation of microgravity conditions and the variations of the magnetic field experienced by a satellite along its orbit, enabling the testing of attitude determination and control systems, based on magnetic sensors and actuators, in a representative environment.

27/01/2025 – Fino Mornasco (CO), Italy Gabriele Pagani and Massimo Cannilla from D-Orbit's Manufacturing – Hardware team test electronic boards for the ION Satellite Carrier. D-Orbit is a space logistics company founded in Italy in 2011 by Luca Rossettini and Renato Panesi. The company designs, builds, and operates spacecraft that transport satellites to their precise orbital positions, host technology demonstrations, and process data directly in orbit. As of December 2025, its ION Satellite Carrier platform has completed 21 missions, serving over 200 payloads for clients worldwide. D-Orbit is now developing GEA, an advanced servicing vehicle that will inspect, repair, and extend the life of satellites already in orbit, with a roadmap that includes active debris removal. By extending satellite lifespans and ensuring precise orbital placement, D-Orbit's services contribute to the long-term sustainability of the space environment.

17/04/2025 Fucino (AQ), Italy. Telespazio The Fucino Space Center operational since 1963, is one of the main satellite control centers in the world and hosts over 170 antennas. Inside it lies the LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) control room, the operational heart of space missions. From this room, the most critical phase of placing a satellite into orbit is managed: from the moment it separates from the launch rocket to its final positioning. Here signals are constantly monitored, satellite operations and the ground station network are managed, ensuring correct flight dynamics. In case of anomalies, operators can intervene by modifying the onboard software and saving the mission, as happened in the well-known recovery of the Artemis satellite.

8/10/2025 Padova PD Italy University of Padua.The preparation of an impact test using the Light Gas Gun (LGG) at CISAS “Giuseppe Colombo” involves positioning the test targets inside the vacuum chamber, typically consisting of satellite protective shields. Once the target is accurately aligned, the hatch is sealed and the experimental procedure can begin under controlled conditions. These shields are specifically designed to mitigate the effects of hypervelocity impacts caused by space debris. At the typical impact velocities encountered in Earth orbit, their primary function is to decelerate or fragment the incoming particle, even at the expense of their own structural integrity. This sacrificial behavior is essential to prevent critical damage to the satellite’s internal components and to ensure mission survivability. Image courtesy of the University of Padua.

18/08/2025 – Castelgrande, PZ, ItalySergei Schmalz, a Russian-German astronomer living in Italy since 2017, focuses primarily on observing space debris to prevent collisions with operational satellites. His mapping work is essential for space safety, given that millions of debris objects orbit the Earth.The observatory domes were purchased and installed by GAUSS Srl with the support of local Castelgrande residents; the manufacturer is the Polish company Scopedome. The dome where we see Sergei is 3 meters in diameter and houses a 35 cm reflector telescope. His work involves recording and tracking space debris in Earth orbit, regularly updating information on these artificial objects, which pose a growing anthropogenic hazard. The collected data are then transmitted to several collaborative research centers, where experts analyze observational data to prevent risks in geocentric orbits.

17/09/2024 Campo Imperatore Aq Italy Space Days Vol. 3 – Fabiano De Martin Topranin This wooden cosmonaut, carved in cedar and standing 2.30 meters tall, represents space exploration as both a scientific and inner journey. The mirrored helmet engages the viewer, reminding us that every discovery begins with curiosity and reflection. However, space is a shared and fragile environment: today, Earth’s orbits are crowded with space debris — debris that threaten future missions. Art and science come together in a call for responsibility: to explore, yes, but with the awareness of protecting what belongs to everyone.