Towards New Frontiers: RETE in Tour explores the future of space
The sharing of experiences and connection of ideas to explore the future of space – and more broadly, to chart shared paths of growth and development – was the outcome of the latest edition of “La RETE in tour”, held on Friday, September 19, 2025, with Thales Alenia Space in Turin as the main host. La RETE - Rete delle Eccellenze TEcnologiche (Network of Technological Excellence) brings together companies that have signed partnership agreements with Politecnico di Torino. These enterprises collaborate extensively with the University on multiple fronts (innovation, research, education) and are considered strategic partners, enabling “open innovation” for the local area and beyond. RETE companies meet regularly to stay updated on frontier research and innovation carried out by Politecnico and its partners, and to share information and best practices on collaboration. The event at Thales Alenia Space proved to be a decisive moment in this ongoing dialogue.
Thales Alenia Space hosted the RETE for an afternoon, welcoming researchers from Politecnico di Torino alongside representatives from other companies, right in the heart of one of Piedmont’s most advanced technological hubs. The meeting was organised by Maria Antonietta Perino, Director of Space Exploration and International Networks at Thales Alenia Space and the company’s Partnership Agreement Contact Person, in collaboration with the University’s Relations with Companies Unit. The session opened with Roberto Angelini, Director of Exploration and Science in Turin and Site Manager, who outlined the multinational’s activities in the field of space exploration. These range from collaborations with ASI, ESA, NASA, and public institutions to new contracts with private operators in the New Space Economy. Current projects span from the European ARGONAUT lunar lander and robotic innovations for the ExoMars program, to building the first lunar habitation module, advancing dark matter research with the Euclid satellite’s infinitely magnifiable images, and pioneering asteroid mining techniques to extract useful resources from space for use on Earth.
Next, Piero Messidoro, former Vice President for R&D, Technologies, and Product Policy at Thales Alenia Space and now consultant at CEI Piemonte (Piemonte Agency for Investments, Export and Tourism), highlighted the central role of the Piedmont ecosystem in the space sector. Piedmont ranks first in Italy for aerospace exports and leads Europe in terms of sector employment.
The focus then shifted to presentations by Politecnico di Torino, showcasing three patented technologies and three research spin-offs. Daniele Botto, Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering-DIMEAS, presented a patent for a Periodic Sinusoidal Sine Sweep for Dynamic Analysis of Structures – 3S. This innovation allows cost-effective, full-field displacement measurements of fixed and rotating structures in turbomachinery using low-field-rate cameras. Carlo Giovanni Ferro, Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering-DIMEAS, introduced the Nozzle for Rocket Engine with Thrust Vectoring and Integrated Cooling, designed for space and aeronautics, as well as oil and gas market applications, particularly for burner nozzles operating in harsh environments. Andrea Carena, Professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications-DET presented a photonics patent, the Phase Change Programmable Integrated Optics. Leveraging new materials and structures, it enables programmable photonic circuits for advanced filtering functions. Applications range from cloud computing and data centres supporting artificial intelligence to potential uses in satellite communications.
Three university spin-offs were also presented. ASTRO, focused on developing optimised tethered satellite systems for Earth observation missions (presented by CEO Stefano Aliberti, PhD candidate in Aerospace Engineering at Politecnico di Torino). DEPLOTIC, specialising in inflatable and modular robotic manipulators for space missions (presented by CEO Pierpaolo Palmieri, Research Assistant at Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering-DIMEAS). THERNESS, offering real-time process monitoring solutions, such as welding – crucial for aerospace manufacturing – through thermography and artificial intelligence (presented by General Manager Luca Santoro, collaborating with the “Design and Experimentation of Mechanical Drive Components and Thermography” research group at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering-DIMEAS).
The session concluded with Maria Crea, Head of the International Research Division at Politecnico di Torino’s Research, Technology Transfer and Innovation Department, who presented European funding opportunities for joint projects between the University and industry in aerospace and beyond.
The group of about 60 participants then had the opportunity to visit Thales Alenia Space’s Research Centre for Space Exploration. They observed the integration facility of the Rosalind Franklin Rover, scheduled for launch in 2028 as part of the second phase of the ExoMars program, which aims to search for traces of prebiotic life on Mars. As part of the visit, participants could also see the huge hangars where large pressurised modules are built for space stations such as the ISS, the Lunar Gateway, and Axiom’s future commercial space station.
The meeting offered a valuable opportunity to explore both the present and future of space activities, while fostering new connections between research groups, young spin-offs from the University, and Thales Alenia Space’s R&D department.
Giuliana Mattiazzo, Vice Rector for Scientific and Technological Innovation, points out: “Our University strongly believes in its role as a facilitator of open innovation among local companies, a role embodied by initiatives like RETE in Tour. It is through initiatives like this that Politecnico fulfils its mission as a place where education, research, innovation, and technology come together, grow side by side, and spread knowledge. In this way, Politecnico di Torino increasingly positions itself at the service of enterprises”.
Alberto Angelini comments: “Thales Alenia Space has always supported an open dialogue with representatives of the supply chain. We strongly believe that part of our responsibility is to stimulate the Italian industrial ecosystem, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, guiding them along a growth path and involving them in building a supply chain that can also benefit our company. RETE in Tour is extremely valuable in this regard, as it provides a key interface between different industrial players in the local area, enabling the exchange of knowledge and information and the sharing of technological advancements that promote shared development”.