Space Geodesy Center

Matera

The Centre for Space Geodesy (CGS) is dedicated to Professor Giuseppe ("Bepi") Colombo and is located in the municipal district of Matera about 10 kilometres east of the town, on the western boundary with the 'Murge'. Opened in 1983 thanks to the joined effort of CNR's National Space Plan, Regione Basilicata and NASA, the CGS is a structure 5000 m2 large where about 100 people work up today. Its budget is about 10 millions per year.

Mainly devoted to earth observation through advanced space techniques (space geodesy and remote sensing), the CGS has recently been dealing with other fields, in particular space robot technology and interplanetary missions. It is one of the most important research structures in southern Italy.

Since 1983 Telespazio is responsible for the operational management of CGS and about 60 people work at full time assuring the production of images as well as the efficiency of the observing stations. The engineering support for the upkeep as well as for the calibration of equipments, quality control, data development and filing are also guaranteed.

An industrial consortium named TELAER is located within the centre while other companies such as Tecnomare and Geocart are currently entering some conventions with ASI so as to open their own secondary offices within the Centre. Space Geodesy was the first programme of the Base. 

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Stratospheric Balloons Launch Base

Trapani-Milo (non operational since 2010)

The Stratospheric Balloon Base of Launch located in the region of Trapani-Milo - actually closed and non operational since 2010 -  was opened in 1975 and has represented for more than 30 years a world structure able to carry out the design, the launch and the flight management of this specific technique, with a specialization in the systems of great mass and volume.

Here below, all the technical informations about the centre during its operational life.

The launch base is located within an old airport 90 hectares large at the outskirts of Trapani, an ideal geographic location for trans-Mediterranean and transatlantic launchs.

Thanks to the former utilisation, the base presents a very large launch pad with direct visibility from control tower and full equipped control center with high technology tracking and communication systems. Four integration hangars are available at the base for payload integration and tests, each of them equipped with direct Lan access, air conditioning, electric and mechanic equipment as well as overhead travelling cranes. Base personnel also has engineered several balloon gondolas equipped with telemetry and communication which can host scientific payloads if needed. Systems and vehicles necessary for balloon launch and payload recovery are as well provided.

During last years several types of balloons have been launched successfully from the base ranging from 100.000 balloons to 1.100.000 m3 balloons.

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"Luigi Broglio" Space Center

Malindi

Since the 60's "Luigi Broglio" Space Centre of Malindi, Kenya, has been managed by the University of Rome "La Sapienza" through the San Marco Project Research Centre (CRSPM). Because of its equatorial location on the Indian Ocean's coast, it is the ideal place for activities of launch and satellite control from earth. The centre is made of two segments, the marine segment represented by the launch oceanic platform and the earth segment represented by the data receipt centre.

The Centre (Longitude: 40,19 degrees E, Latitude: 2,99 degrees S) is extended over an area about 3,5 hectares large on the coast of the Indian Ocean 32 kilometres far from Malindi and may be reached through the littoral zone of Kenya. While the soil is a property of the Republic of Kenya, the management was entrusted to CRPSM until December 31st, 2003 and to ASI starting from January 1st, 2004 in accordance with the intergovernmental agreements between Italy and Kenya currently in force. The presence of the Centre within the territory of Kenya, which goes back to 1966, is today ruled by an intergovernmental fifteen-years renewable agreement signed in 1995. This agreement involves the possibility to carry out launch activities, data acquisition from satellites, remote sensing and training activities both in Kenya and in Italy. Italy defines the programmes, supplies the necessary equipments, trains and takes on local employees. Kenya grants the soil under the payment of a rent by Italy, trains and takes on local workers. The local government must be informed about programmes making use of the Centre and asks, for commercial programmes, a royalty depending on the terms of the commercial agreement. After 15 years equipments become a property of Kenya.

The last launch - Scout vector embarking the San Marco D/L satellite - was carried out on March 25th, 1988. Since then platforms are not used and are generally submitted to the ordinary upkeep.

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