Italy is preparing to participate in Axiom Space’s fifth private mission to the International Space Station, potentially with Italian astronaut Walter Villadei. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the proposal would be discussed at the next meeting of the Interministerial Committee for Space and Aerospace Research Policies. Axiom 5 is scheduled to begin in January 2027 and has been assigned by NASA to Axiom Space.
Tajani said Italy should seek command of the mission and involve its scientific community and regions. He described the project as a strategic opportunity for the country’s industrial and research system, while reaffirming the United States as Italy’s main partner in space. He also highlighted Italy’s participation in the Artemis programme and its plans to develop further scientific and industrial cooperation with several international partners.
The statements were made at the Farnesina during the third edition of the States General of the Space Economy. Business and Enterprise Minister Adolfo Urso said space should not become a “no man’s land” without rules, while discussions focused on regulation, industrial competitiveness and international cooperation. Italy will also host the European Space Agency’s intermediate ministerial conference on December 15.
Tajani described aerospace as one of the strengths of Italian industry. He said the sector’s wider industrial supply chain generates more than €21 billion in revenue, with small and medium-sized businesses making up more than 80% of the industrial base. Italy has 15 aerospace districts, while the Lazio supply chain alone includes 360 companies, 23,500 employees and €5 billion in revenue, according to figures cited at the event.
Data from the National Aerospace Technology Cluster and Confindustria puts the revenue of Italy’s space supply chain at €3.1 billion in 2024, up 63% from 2021. Employment increased from approximately 5,900 to 8,900 over the same period. The mapped sector includes 38 large companies, 220 small and medium-sized enterprises, 18 startups, 38 research bodies and 24 universities across 15 industrial districts. Research and development represents 5% of the sector’s revenue.
A broader estimate by Italy’s National Institute of Statistics and the Italian Space Agency places the country’s space economy at around €8 billion in production, with €2 billion in added value and more than 23,000 employees. The sector includes expertise in satellites, launchers, telecommunications and Earth observation.
Giorgio Marsiaj, Confindustria’s vice president for aerospace, said space diplomacy could help Italian companies access new markets and international supply chains. He announced a business mission to the United States from December 6 to 15, organised with the Italian Trade Agency and coordinated with the Italian Embassy in Washington. The delegation will visit industrial ecosystems in Washington and Maryland, Arizona, Indiana and North Carolina.
Marsiaj said the industry needed stable coordination between institutions and businesses, secure supplies and clear national and European rules that support cooperation and competitiveness.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore Italia.