Conference

According to the World Economic Forum, pulling together data from ESA, EUMESAT, NASA, NOAA, and other reputable sources, there are currently more than 160 satellites devoted to observing climate change indicators. Observations from Geostationary and polar satellites merged with data from the ground and any atmospheric level are assimilated to numerical models allowing for monitoring Earth’s temperature, cryosphere shrinkage, ice sheets changes, sea levels rise, greenhouse gases increase. International cooperation is essential to address the development of certified operational tools and bring institutional commitment and private investors together. It is also vital to fully leverage the potential of satellite data to document environmental changes and to inform policymakers in order to adopt clear and definitive actions to mitigate climate change.

A round table will discuss the ongoing initiatives to face global climate challenges from space.

The deployment of large communication satellite constellations represents an important technological development for improving global network connectivity. However, there are many satellites in Low Earth Orbit, a number estimated to grow up to several tens of thousands in a few years, which have a serious impact on astronomical observations, both in the optical/IR and radio wavelength ranges. The matter has been recently discussed at the UN COPUOS, which has encouraged all stakeholders, including the astronomical community, the space industry, and the operating companies, to closely cooperate in studying and implementing measures that can mitigate the interference of the satellite constellation on astronomical observations and on the visibility of the pristine night sky.

A round table will discuss the critical aspects of the issue and present state of the art of mitigating actions and adopted best practices.

There are more than 100,000 proteins in the human body and as many as 10 billion in nature. Every structure is different. Proteins hold important information related to our heath and reveal key mechanisms of interaction with their and our environment. Outer space is the perfect environment to observe these structures. Microgravity allows for optimal growth and study of the unique, large and complicated crystal structures of proteins leading to the development of medical treatments. In addition, these are important candidates for developing niche markets and valuable spin-offs for Big Pharma.

A round table will present space-derived solutions in pharmacology and therapy and highlight future targets.

Access to space today is no longer a pioneer business. There are about 40 operational spaceports on our planet. Most of them are government owned and operated. However, the increasing private access to space is driving the spaceports’ evolution through innovative gateways for daily transportation and scheduled space liners. The development of spaceport locations is a top priority for many countries, while Space Tourism is also becoming more affordable and safer every day. In fact, it has been predicted that in one decade, Space Tourism will develop many billions of dollars annually in revenues, with associated benefits in employment and taxes.

A round table will focus on current major institutional and private stakeholders involved in the growth/commercialization of Space Tourism and will present roadmaps and short-term opportunities.

Since the very early space rush, scientific teams have developed concepts for longer crewed missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Leveraging on space investments today it is possible to contribute to the Sustainability Development Goals roadmap with healthy food production, clean water, and systems that require minimal energy and produce minimal waste while providing fair living conditions for everybody on planet Earth. Solutions from the space sector can also contribute to obtaining more value with the available resources by reducing consumption and optimizing the distribution of goods and services at every stage of the value chain. Innovative companies, and in particular small-scale companies and start-ups, can play a key role in opening disruptive lines of business and facilitate the involvement of newcomers in serving user-demanding urban areas as well as extreme environments and resource-scarce regions.

A round table will discuss successful initiatives and business opportunities in developing platforms for launching new partnerships, activities, or projects, with the active participation of both public and private enterprises.

Since the famous first flight of Yuri Gagarin, the human being has spent in space a total of 39,000 days (about 77 years). Astronauts are living and working in an environment that is very different from the one on Earth. The conditions of weightlessness change, indeed, bodies as well as minds. Moreover, living in the outer space allows us to better understand and manage the complexity of our bodies and to better interpret the internal mechanisms of human and plant cells. In fact, Human and plant cells respond rapidly to changing environments with epigenetic mechanisms that allow adaptation to the new physiological conditions. Specific epigenetics and biochemical studies are essential to understand the effect of long spaceflight on individuals health and on plant cultivation surviving and adjusting to gravity levels different from the Earth.
More than 650 people have already visited the International Space Station opening new avenues for inspiration and innovative initiatives on Earth. Soon, other missions will take place that will get us closer to living in the outer space.

A round table will discuss current plans, issues, and new studies for living in the outer space.

The term Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is used to define the area occupied by all satellites that do not exceed 2000 km (1,200 miles) above the Earth’s surface. This proximity to Earth makes them ideal for very high speed, low latency communications, and minimal power budget. However, LEO is very populated and can represent a threat to future space operations. The presence of Near-Earth Orbit and Debris getting accumulated will result in high risks of collisions with spacecraft with loss of capability, income, and even loss of life. Therefore, there is a strict need to take preventive measures to monitor LEO and prevent more debris in space with proper supervision while adopting policies for decluttering/cleaning-up space.

A round table will highlight the news which drove the quick-running evolution of the institutional and private involvement in monitoring LEO and discuss what will come next by introducing new potential stakeholders and initiatives.

In a few decades, travel to the Moon will be ordinary. However, the way to bring humanity back to the Moon is not a given. The lunar exploration program is the chance to enhance the use of new innovative technologies and systems, to learn how to sustain human life in extreme environments, and to foster collaborations at a global level. From the operative point of view, using common interfaces and modular architectures optimizes design and resources, facilitates the addition of new partners, and increases safety. At the same time, it is an enabling tool for consolidating international relationships and guaranteeing a solid and sustainable growth of the whole program.
In the current scenario, the Moon destination catalyzes the involvement of private actors willing to invest their own funds in specific lines of activity with potential economic opportunities in the short-medium term. Every company can play a valuable role in supporting Large System Integrators, which have new chances to consolidate and update the value chain and be more competitive globally.

A round table will present running actions, new stakeholders, and updated schedules.

About 1000 operating Earth Remote Sensing Satellites allow a constant and high reliable monitoring of the globe and can provide added value in all terrestrial applications. Managing risks from space and monitoring locations in near real-time is now possible, with response teams analyzing and interpreting visual intelligence to rapidly gain an understanding of potential losses, particularly when responding to catastrophic events. Artificial Intelligence algorithms are, indeed, key in deriving meaningful information derived from satellite, aerial, and drone imagery and have increasingly become part of disaster response.

A round table will highlight innovative solutions and introduce new commercial stakeholders for monitoring and preventing disasters from space.

Much like terrestrial weather, space weather results from a complex system driven both by the Sun and events much closer to Earth. The Sun has a changing magnetic field millions of times more than on the surface of the Earth, which releases abundant energy and material resources and forms active regions affecting life on Earth. Monitoring space weather and understanding the driving parameters which generate impacts both in space and on Earth is crucial to be able to manage potential threats and generate effective services. In recent years, the awareness that the space environment around Earth is becoming of ever-increasing importance for the successful operation of commercial, government, and national security infrastructure essential to the Nations has risen. It is time to prepare the countries to deal with technological vulnerabilities to changing conditions in the Earth’s space environment (Space Weather). Such vulnerabilities are well documented in numerous reports and research papers, from the U.S. Space Weather Transition Architecture Plan to the National Security Space Architecture Report of the U.S. Department of Defense.

A round table will discuss opportunities for local services and potential new stakeholders for the current institutional projects responsible for monitoring and alert systems.

For many years outer space has been a place for dreamers, pioneers and experts. Today it is the place to be to enhance innovative, cost-effective, and reliable support for life on Earth. The space sector is, indeed, experiencing significant mindshare growth. The rise of more scalable and innovative business models democratizing access to the space sector and the user’s access to products from space data contributed to developing a more customer-oriented approach.
In the current scenario, both institutional and private investors are deeply involved in the process of providing solutions for achieving sustainability targets and can promote a cross-fertilization and open innovation strategy.

A round table will present successful initiatives, open issues, and the potential evolution of market conditions and users’ needs.

Digitisation in support of European economic development is becoming increasingly relevant and the key enabling technologies play a pivotal role in its attainment. The full integration of satellites with 5G/6G terrestrial networks and technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), will improve connectivity and provide powerful commercial solutions to support the digitisation of numerous non-space sectors with ad hoc use cases. The race for digitisation enables not only the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also the fulfilment of the Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) criteria as well as the many European technological roadmaps, Insurance, Agriculture, Transport and Mobility are the sectors that see unprecedented development looming on the horizon thanks to the ever-increasing integration of digital and space technologies: from smart contracts to the synergic integration of block-chains, from risk assessment to monitoring environment and landscape.

A round table will discuss the needs, the experiences and the visions of key players of the sectors that assume the role of Space Ambassadors to identify the challenges and benefits derived from the exploitation of integrated business applications in the frame of the New Space Economy.