The Embassy of Italy in Washington, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), NASA, the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), and the U.S. Space Foundation, hosted a new edition of Italy’s National Space Day yesterday.
“This event demonstrates how Italy continues to play a leading role in the space sector: our country is an excellent technological partner for the United States, with increasingly intense strategic collaborations. The Embassy is proud to host an event that has become a tradition, enabling our companies and scientific institutions to forge new collaborations with U.S. counterparts,” stated the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Mariangela Zappia.
Highlighting the growing importance of the event, ICE President Matteo Zoppas delivered a strong message in support of innovation and collaboration driving technological and industrial progress between Italy and the United States.
“Italy achieved €625 billion in exports in 2023, with €7.5 billion from aerospace—an increase of 14% compared to 2022. In the first eight months of 2024, aerospace exports totaled €4.3 billion. According to recent estimates, the new Space Economy is projected to grow from 400 billion to 1.8 trillion by 2035. With these trends, the aerospace sector’s over 7 billion could grow to at least 30 billion by 2035. Our manufacturers must seize this opportunity, supported by a comprehensive national effort to bridge supply and demand. Missing this train is not an option. The growth potential is immense, and the world is focused on launching new projects and initiatives. When we talk about Italian excellence, we don’t refer only to the three Fs—Food, Fashion, and Furniture—but also to advanced technologies. The Italian Government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is highly focused on the Space Economy’s potential. Yesterday’s initiative reflects this commitment. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively advancing space diplomacy through its global network, while the Ministry of Made in Italy is fostering conditions to enhance competitiveness and maintain Italy’s leadership in aerospace. ICE is committed to creating tangible business opportunities to promote advanced technologies and services offered by our companies. Over the past two years, ICE has organized more than 50 aerospace initiatives across 20 markets. This third edition of National Space Day in Washington—featuring an ICE-organized networking session for entrepreneurs and operators of the Space Economy with over 500 attendees—underlines Italian companies’ innovation capabilities and reinforces Italy’s dedication to strengthening partnerships with the United States, our primary market,” said Matteo Zoppas, ICE President.
During the event at the Embassy, Virgin Galactic, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC), and Aeroporti di Puglia, supported by the Government of the Region of Apulia, announced the signing of a feasibility study to define the conditions for Virgin Galactic’s suborbital commercial operations in Italy, using the Grottaglie Spaceport in the Province of Taranto. This marks a significant step for Italy in the suborbital flight sector.
The event also featured presentations on international collaboration and NASA projects, with Chirag Parikh, Executive Secretary of the National Space Council, as a keynote speaker. NASA, a partner of the event, showcased its projects with a dedicated booth. Afternoon thematic panels offered insight into the evolution of the space sector, combining research, innovation, and market perspectives, with a focus on current and future astrophysics projects involving NASA and Italy.
Throughout the day, 21 Italian aerospace companies, along with ICE, ASI, NASA, and INAF, participated in a full-scale exhibition hosted at the Embassy. Representing Italy were leading companies, technological clusters, and research centers such as Leonardo and its subsidiaries, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space, Nurjana Technologies, D-Orbit, Officina Stellare, I.R.C.A. S.P.A., Picosats, Arca Dynamics, Eie Group, Sitael, Miprons, Involve Group, Aiko, Lazzero Tecnologie, Progetti Speciali Italiani, Davi Promau, Leaf Space, Altec, O.V.S. Villella, Pasquali Microwave Systems, Poggipolini, and the Government of the Region of Piedmont. Numerous connections were made between Italian companies and key U.S. aerospace players, including Aerospace Corporation, Airbus US Space & Defense, Amazon Kuiper Government Solutions, Axiom Space, Blue Origin, Jacobs, ESA, JAXA, KBR, Lockheed Martin, Sierra Space, and Virgin Galactic.
The aerospace sector remains a cornerstone of economic relations between Italy and the United States. In 2023, Italian aerospace industry exports reached €7.48 billion, with the United States as the primary market, accounting for over 20% of these exports. This underscores the strategic importance of transatlantic collaboration in the aerospace industry.
