Space, here are Tabacci’s space dreams with France and Germany

Not only Recovery Plan, here are the plans of the Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council with responsibility for Space, Bruno Tabacci

"In the next few days I will meet the two ambassadors of France and Germany and then I will see the competent ministers of the two countries". This is the first step indicated by Bruno Tabacci, answering a question from the Adnkronos on how he intended to implement his 'three-legged table' policy in Italian space policy in Europe.

But in the mosaic of the Italian space sector, in addition to investments and strategies, there is also the element of appointments. With the appointment of the Austrian Joseph Aschbacher as Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) , the management of the Esrin Center in Frascati was released, which effectively manages all the Earth Observation activities and consequent environmental services with high added value.

For the new undersecretary Bruno Tabacci, “ here is an opportunity to demonstrate one's political-strategic abilities”, said analyst Francis Walsingham on Start . "A few days before the deadline for submitting applications to participate, he informs various people at the institutional level that he has already chosen the government candidate: Professor Roberto Battiston, former president of the ASI ousted by the Conte 1 government" .

2.3 BILLION EUROS FOR THE SPACE IN THE PNRR

“The issues” related to space activities “that we have placed in the PNRR are manifold and range from Satcom to Earth Observation to the space factory”, noted Bruno Tabacci yesterday.

As reported by Il Sole 24 Ore , the five lines of action are: “SatCom (satellites and technologies for secure communications and broadband); Earth observation (creation of a high-frequency satellite constellation for revisiting and launching the CyberItaly project); Space factory (integrated lines for the production, integration and testing of small satellites in Italy); Access to space (innovative technologies for the next generation of transport systems); In-orbit economy (ability to provide in-orbit maintenance of satellites and infrastructures) ".

And "let's say that the impact that these 2.3 billion euros will have will be really considerable", underlined the undersecretary. "It will now be a question of doing things well and knowing that Europe is waiting for us at the gate, we will have to be rigorous in the implementation of projects, even more so on issues as exposed as those of space".

THE VALUE OF THE SPACE ECONOMY

"The new space economy could reach a total turnover of one trillion dollars in 2040, after reaching 360 billion dollars in 2019, equal to 325 billion euros", had outlined Undersecretary Tabacci on 21 April. at the hearing in the Chamber.

“The segment more properly linked to space and aerospace currently produces revenues of approximately 100 billion euros, 70% of which derive from the institutional market and 30% from the private component. Therefore, it is inevitably a strategic sector for Italy – Tabacci underlined in the hearing – which is currently the eighth world power in this field, preceded by Germany and India, both in the field of international relations and for its growing importance for the scientific and productive system of the country ".

THE ITALIAN SPACE CHAIN

The Italian space supply chain includes about 7,000 employees, with more than 15% in the last five years, Tabacci reminded the Chamber. This is an annual turnover of around 2 billion euros.

The undersecretary had also specified that "a euro invested in space generates a return of 3 to 7 times".

THE ROLE OF ITALY IN ESA AND IN EUROPE

“Currently the Italian government is the third European investor in the sector after Germany and France through the shareholding in ESA”, remarked Tabacci.

"After the last Ministerial Council in Seville in 2019, Germany allocates a budget of 3.3 billion a year to the ESA, France 2.7 billion, and Italy 2.3 billion".

"With a view to consolidating the Italian role in Europe, it is my intention not only to establish a more structured and effective dialogue with the European Commission, but also to initiate a trilateral dialogue with Paris and Berlin", the undersecretary underlined. With the intention of restoring "Italy an equal role in the relationship with France and Germany in the belief that it is also in the interest of our partners to be able to count on Italy's involvement in the implementation of projects capable of competing in the world".

WHAT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH NASA IN THE UNITED STATES?

In his speech in the Chamber of 21 April, Undersecretary Tabacci had not forgotten, however, the relations between ASI and NASA, the US space agency.

“Regarding the United States and the Artemis program and in particular the return of man to the Moon in a more stable way, our industry today has the possibility to cooperate with US companies to provide key systems for the success of this project. I believe that cooperation with the United States is a key element of our national space policy and I intend to strengthen this relationship with our country's historic partner, with which the first space cooperation began in the 1960s ”, Tabacci recalled.

Yet as the deputy Gianluca Benamati (Pd) observed during the hearing in the Chamber, we need to understand how the government intends to strengthen our participation in European realities on the one hand and collaboration with the US on the other.

“The development of these relations with NASA, and in general with the United States, is foreseen at the basis of the program of this government, because Draghi has defined his government as« pro-European and Atlantic ». I have taken note of it ”, Tabacci commented.

SYNERGY WITH GERMANY AND FRANCE

However, on the trilateral dialogue with Paris and Berlin, the undersecretary for space also returned yesterday to the ASI event.

"I made the speech in Parliament about the 'three-legged table' because a 'two-legged table' struggles to stand up and therefore, instead of imagining bilateral meetings with Germany or France, I thought that meetings were better. trilateral "and so" in the next few days I will meet the two ambassadors of France and Germany and then I will see the competent ministers of the two countries ", explained Tabacci.

"We need to think in a format that brings together the interests of the three countries, – Tabacci noted – according to a line that is gaining ground in the government's vision".

"Space can be part of this common work, not only for launchers, – added the undersecretary – but also for other industrial collaborations, quantum technologies and major sustainability issues on which Italy has expertise, such as that of debris space ".

Regarding the launchers, Tabacci announced that he had also met the CEO of Avio, prime contractor for the Vega and Vega-C launchers, to investigate these aspects.

AS OUTLINE BY MINISTER GIORGETTI

Tabacci will therefore continue in the wake of the consolidation of the Italy-France axis already undertaken to guarantee Europe autonomy in accessing space.

One of the dossiers on the table of the meeting of last March 19 between the Italian Minister of Economic Development and the French Minister of Economy and Finance was precisely space . Giancarlo Giorgetti (Lega) and Bruno Le Maire have in fact relaunched a “close collaboration” in the aerospace sector. Cooperation that will soon be extended to include Germany as well.

AND BEFORE, BY THE FORMER UNDER SECRETARY FRACCARO

As anticipated by the meeting last November between the former undersecretary Fraccaro (M5S) and Le Maire who had announced the creation of a working group between the main European countries involved in space (and major contributors to ESA): Italy , France and Germany.

THE ESRIN KNOT

Finally, a matter that is particularly close to the heart of Undersecretary Bruno Tabacci according to the experts is the round of appointments.

As we recalled at the beginning, the Esa Directorate of Earth Observations, Esrin, in Frascati has been released. Former director Josef Aschbacher is the new CEO of ESA.

"Certainly Italy has wasted an opportunity, I say this as an observer" Tabacci admitted in a hearing in the House. "Now it is a question of recovering … It is evident that now it will also be a question of deciding the position of the Esrin in Frascati, and this is a first test bench .. It is not an easy thing."

"But Tabacci is clear what to do – wrote Walsingham on Start last week – a few days before the deadline for submitting applications for participation, he informs various people at the institutional level that he has already chosen the government candidate: Professor Roberto Battiston, former president of 'Asi ousted by the Conte 1 government. In addition, not even waiting to know, when the presentation date has expired, the possible presence of potential candidates with better skills in the specific subject of Earth Observations. Not a few perplexities on the part of many sector analysts ".

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This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/spazio-tutti-i-sogni-spaziali-di-tabacci-con-francia-e-germania/ on Fri, 14 May 2021 12:41:34 +0000.