SITAEL starting new collaboration for Satellites Aviolaunch

December, 12 – Rome – In the beautiful location of Palazzo dell’Aeronautica in Rome, Mr. Nicola Zaccheo SITAEL CEO signed an important agreement with the General Alberto Rosso Chief of Staff of the Italian AirForce (Aeronautica Militare),  Mr. Giambattista Brignone General Director of the National Research Council (CNR), Prof. Teodoro Valente  Vice-Rector for Innovation and technological Transfer at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and Prof. Paolo Annunziato President of Italian Centre for Aerospace Research (CIRA).

With this agreement, the parties will start collaborating on research and experimentation activities in the aerospace sector, in particular aimed at developing an innovative avio-launch technology.

The use of aerial platforms for small satellites orbital launches – for which also the Italian AirForce vehicles are being considered – would lead to a substantial increase in the number of possible launches, potentially allowing any existing airport to be suitable for such operations, eliminating the problems related to the meteorological conditions and reducing the launch cost considerably.

“With the rapid evolution of Small satellites-based applications and services,” said Nicola Zaccheo, Sitael CEO “an adequate access to space is essential. Nowadays, small satellites are launched as piggy-back of bigger ones or, alternatively, in rideshare missions with dozens of other satellites. These conditions are not suited for the best launches features in terms of flexibility, costs, reliability and required orbits. Avio-launches represent, instead, a real opportunity in this market that consents dedicated launches at affordable costs.”