Italy in space
Bologna students test swarm robots against space debris with ESA
The Star-bots team from the University of Bologna tested a swarm of five autonomous robots for ESA Academy to actively remove space debris.
Section
Italy in space
Italy put its first satellite, San Marco 1, into orbit in 1964, and today takes part in a long list of European and international programmes. This section follows the work of ASI, the research centres and the companies in the sector.
For each project we set out the Italian contribution: who takes part, with which technology, inside which programme, and what comes out of it scientifically or industrially.
All articles
Italy in space
ESA School Days 2027 at ESRIN in Frascati: dates and applications
The ESA School Days 2027 will take place from 15 to 19 March at ESA ESRIN in Frascati, with online applications from December and up to 50 students per school.
Italy in space
ERC Starting Grants 2026: Italy wins talent but loses it to visas
The European Research Council awards 705 million euros to 421 researchers, but Italy attracts only 22 projects: the Sprout case and the residence permit ordeal.
Italy in space
ESA at IAC 2026: space that serves society and a strong European partner
Serves society: For two consecutive days the European Space Agency has been center stage at the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026).
Italy in space
Italy in space: appointments, contracts and twenty years of ESERO
Leadership in transition at the Italian Space Agency, a trade fair drawing 3,500 people, and a school programme turning twenty. Three forces, one sector.
Italy in space
Dual capability: how Italy integrates IRIDE, COSMO-SkyMed and LISA
Italy is building a network that couples Earth observation with ultra-precise science: operational data for civil safety alongside fundamental physics.
Italy in space
Space Symposium 2026: what Italy achieved at Colorado Springs
A Joint Statement with NASA, a €3.5bn ESA commitment and a commercial forum. What was actually observed, and what stays a projection until the tenders open.
Italy in space
How do you become an astronaut?
A master's in a science subject, three years of work, English and medical fitness. The last European selection drew over 22,500 applications: 17 got through.
Official sources
Portals and services worth bookmarking when you want to check a figure, follow a mission or keep reading at the source.
- Italian Space Agency ASI
The official ASI site: programmes, releases and news. Published in Italian.
- Space in Member States · Italy ESA
ESA's Italy channel: Italian participation in the European programmes.