For the past week, and another week a while back, I have been working on a project with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). In this project, we’re looking at a way to improve the current methods of debris mitigation around the Earth as more and more satellites are launched leaving behind ever increasing amounts of clutter.

Our project is the next in a long line of SEEDs projects, a long running collaboration between the University of Leicester, Politecnico di Torino, and the ISAE Supaero, and our hope is to leave our mark on the industry ourselves.

Our work with ASI meant that we were able to work at the headquarters of the company ourselves in Rome, Italy. Despite the boiling sun outside, we made sure to be there working in person, which afforded me the great opportunity of touring the history of such a brilliant organisation.

The ASI building is found on the outskirts of Rome, in an honestly very difficult location to reach for an avid walker such as myself. Once within the grounds though, it’s a perfectly delightful place to work. We spent most of our time in one of the large breakout rooms, complete with a computer for each of us and plenty of work to do. With an hour for lunch though, I got to exploring the rest of the building and seeing all there was to see!

One of the first things I noticed was a sort of museum that can be found in the lower level lobby. Here, ASI displays all sorts of different pieces from their history such as:

• Models of the different satellites and rockets they helped to build

• Large boards describing the history of one of their biggest projects, the San Marco Launch pad found in the sea off the coast of Kenya.
• A large figure of what appears to be a humanoid satellite

• A to scale satellite dish, menacingly pointing right at you as you walk down the stairs into the work area

Whilst we worked, the Sun climbed high into the sky, meaning that by lunchtime it was a roasting 35 degrees most days. Despite this, I always made the effort to enjoy the grounds of the space centre on my lunch break as much as possible. This lead to me eating my on-site café bought croissants in a small glade on the grounds, found out of the west entrance. It may have been impossibly hot, but I was at peace in those moments.

Within the grounds are lots of quite rare plants, or at least plants I don’t think I’ve had the priveledge of meeting yet. Here’s my favourite of these that I found in the grounds:

Melaleuca Rugulosa – Bottlebrush

This beautiful flower grows as part of a large shrub. Known commonly as a bottlebrush due to its similar appearance to that of an actual bottlebrush, this plant is endemic to Australasia, so it is very far away from home here in Italy.

This is but one of the plants found in the grounds with the gardens serving as a place for rest and relaxation out of the intense workload inside the building, and as a nice place for a stroll with colleagues to discuss the next project. When I wasn’t taking pictures I was doing my best to greet the many others I met on the circular road surrounding the site, wondering if they saw me as their lesser, or their equal.

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On the final day of our work here in Rome, we did a presentation in the Cassini conference room, showing all of the supervisors of the project our progress over the past few weeks. My role on the project is that of AOCS or Attitude and Orbital Control System, meaning I focus on making sure the satellite is in the right place and going in the right direction! I presented my findings to the group, and was met with agreements to my findings. It’s a professional space company after all, they aren’t massively enthusiastic!

After this, we closed out for the day and I headed back to town. Onwards to my next adventure.

I’ll always appreciate this opportunity and experience though. It was amazing to work in the same building where so many great strides in space science have occurred and to feel like I made such great progress on my own research also!

With this, my rocket science studying in Italy has come to an end. Next I’ll be heading to France and to Toulouse where the project will continue to the next phase of investigation, but you’ll just have to wait and see to hear more about that!

To infinity, and beyond!

Cassie