Palazzo Chigi accelerates on strategic autonomy and space economy.
Yesterday, the Meloni government approved the new National Space Policy Strategic Document (Dspsn), prepared by the Italian Space Agency (Asi) in coordination with Comint (Interministerial Committee for space and aerospace policies), implementing the Government’s guidelines on space and aerospace matters. In Italy, political coordination of space is indeed managed by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, with the Prime Minister chairing Comint.
The newly approved plan will define Italy’s space priorities for the next decade. In particular, the document identifies four strategic pillars – research and societal benefits, industrial competitiveness, governance, and international cooperation – and aims to strengthen the country’s strategic autonomy, the security of space infrastructures, and Italian industrial leadership.
Among the priorities are Earth observation (to strengthen “Italian leadership in the sector”), telecommunications (“improving competitive positioning in a key sector”), autonomous access to space (including the adoption of a security framework), cybersecurity (developing a plan/roadmap for cyber security, in line with Law no. 89 of 2025), orbital logistics, in-orbit services, and the development of the space economy.
All the details.
COMINT’S GREEN LIGHT TO THE STRATEGIC DOCUMENT
“Today’s Comint session adds another piece to the Government’s strategy through the approval of the National Space Policy Strategic Document. It is a crucial step because it translates into programming and concrete actions the guidelines set by this Government.” This was stated yesterday by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the 29th session of the Interministerial Committee for Space and Aerospace Research Policies.
According to the Prime Minister, the document “focuses on those sectors in which Italy is already strong – Earth observation, space access, telecommunications and navigation, exploration, scientific research – and on new segments: orbital logistics, in-orbit services, commercial infrastructures in low orbit, security, and resilience.”
Meloni also emphasized that “attention to the space domain is a national priority, and Italy has what it takes to continue playing a leading role in this strategic segment.”
SPACE AS A STRATEGIC DOMAIN
In the document’s foreword, the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy and delegated authority for Space Policies, Adolfo Urso, defines space as “an essential dimension of the country’s sovereignty, security, and competitiveness.” The Dspsn sets the goal to “strengthen national strategic autonomy, consolidate Italian leadership in sectors of excellence, support the growth of the industrial and scientific supply chain, enhance new opportunities in the space economy, and ensure the resilience of critical infrastructures.”
The document also highlights how the space domain has become “a terrain of strategic competition” in a context marked by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and rivalry between the United States and China that “accelerate the dual-use of space capabilities and push states to invest in security, resilience, and technological autonomy.”
THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE STRATEGY
The National Space Policy Strategic Document stems from the guidelines approved by Comint in November 2024 and is structured around four main pillars: expanding knowledge and societal benefits, growth and competitiveness of the national industrial ecosystem, regulatory framework and governance, development of international collaborations.
The first pillar identifies as priorities support for scientific and industrial research, promotion of STEM and cyber skills, dissemination of space culture, and strengthening capabilities in Space Domain Awareness, Space Situational Awareness, and Space Traffic Management.
The second pillar concerns strengthening Italian industrial leadership in Earth observation, space transport, telecommunications, satellite navigation, and orbital logistics sectors, as well as support for SMEs and startups in the space economy.
The third pillar aims to strengthen governance and the regulatory framework, also through streamlined administrative procedures and a public administration oriented to the “user-buyer” model.
The fourth pillar is dedicated to international relations and foresees strengthening cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), European Union, United States, Japan, India, Gulf countries, and African countries within the Mattei Plan.
GOVERNANCE, RULES, AND NATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN
“This Government, as you know, has chosen to follow a well-structured course of action based on three directions: governance, rules, and the national supply chain,” Meloni explained.
On governance, the Prime Minister recalled that Comint was created to “bring all competent administrations around the same table and build a common direction,” in a sector where “boundaries are increasingly permeable – between civil and military, between research and industry, between public infrastructures and commercial services, between security and competitiveness.”
Regarding rules, Meloni claimed the 2025 Space law, calling it “the first” comprehensive European regulation on the space economy: “It is a law that clarifies responsibilities, fills the regulatory gap, provides a stable framework for space activities, supports investments with a multi-year fund, and strengthens public-private collaboration.”
Finally, on the national supply chain, the Prime Minister emphasized that Italy has “large groups, innovative small and medium enterprises, startups, universities, research centers, territorial districts.” The government has allocated “7.8 billion euros, until 2028,” destined “for infrastructures, technologies, research, and skills.”
PRIORITIES ON SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY
One of the central chapters of the document concerns the security of space infrastructures. The Dspsn foresees the development of a National Space Security Strategy and a development plan for critical space technologies to strengthen strategic autonomy and Italian technological sovereignty.
Among the planned interventions are enhancing national capabilities in space domain awareness and space situational awareness, creating national systems for space and space weather monitoring, developing technologies for space cybersecurity, and protecting strategic supply chains.
The document also provides for operational capabilities for security and defense purposes, including deterrence capabilities, active defense of critical infrastructures in orbit, and reactive access to space.
EARTH OBSERVATION, IRIDE, AND ACCESS TO SPACE
As already mentioned, among the sectors considered strategic by the government are Earth observation and space transport. The document foresees long-term roadmaps to strengthen the national Earth Intelligence ecosystem, develop new satellite missions, and enhance the use of space data for civil protection, environment, agriculture, cultural heritage, and security.
A central role is also assigned to the Iride Marketplace platform (the Italian space program funded through PNRR funds for the creation of satellite constellations dedicated to Earth Observation) for the storage, analysis, and distribution of satellite data, with applications based on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
On the space transport front, the Dspsn aims to define a national requirement for autonomous access to space, also through the development of more efficient, reliable, and sustainable launch systems and strengthening European and international collaborations.
THE ROLE OF SMES, STARTUPS, AND INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
The document also dedicates ample space to the growth of the national industrial ecosystem, with particular attention to SMEs and startups. Specifically, the document aims to “support the competitiveness of the national space supply chain by implementing an industrial policy strategy” with targeted actions to “enhance governance for the internationalization of space sector industries; due diligence, selection of deserving companies and, for industrial and scientific entities of strategic relevance, control of corporate operations, technology transfers, the production chain and supply chains, protection of know-how and safeguarding of classified and sensitive information; encourage the development of SMEs and innovative companies, with particular focus on startups to provide specific technical, financial, and administrative support facilitating scaling-up, with particular attention to southern Italy and optimization of production infrastructures (favoring digitalization, robotics, digital twin, and AI).
The Dspsn also foresees the creation of living labs, innovation hubs, and open platforms for data sharing, promoting collaboration between universities, research bodies, industry, and public administration.
STEM SKILLS AND SPACE CULTURE
Finally, another chapter of the document concerns education. The government intends to promote a multi-year plan for STEM and cyber skills, strengthening university and professional pathways related to space, supporting PhDs and research programs, and creating centers of excellence dedicated to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies.
“Today more than ever – the Prime Minister emphasized regarding space at the end of her speech – we are aware that, also from this domain, passes the path to building a stronger, freer, more prosperous nation. And so, thank you again for the work we have done together, but above all for what we will do in the coming months.”
