Established in 2021 to commemorate the historic launch of Italy's San Marco satellite, the event, called "Italian Space Day," began with a welcome address by Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto.
"Today, Italy's space science and industry is one of the few in the world to cover the entire space supply chain," Gatto said, emphasizing the strategic importance of the space industry in strengthening bilateral relations between Italy and South Korea.
The event brought together industry experts, scientists, and scholars from both domestic and overseas companies and institutions including Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space, Sapienza University of Rome, as well as Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Hanwha Aerospace.
Topics covered included the latest advancements and technologies in the space industry, visions for space exploration, and developments in space medicine.
The highlight of the event was a keynote speech by Italian astronaut Maurizio Cheli, who shared his extraordinary memories and other experiences including his 1996 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Tuesday's event would give an opportunity to strengthen aerospace cooperation between the two countries, paving the way for further biliteral cooperation.
Earlier a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for aerospace partnership was signed between the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) during Italian President Sergio Mattarella's visit to Seoul in 2023, followed by the establishment of the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) in May 2024.
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