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Welcome to the UniPi Space Propulsion Laboratoryย
Welcome to the UniPi Space Propulsion Laboratoryย
The Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPL) is the home of propulsion innovation at the University of Pisa. Located within the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering (DICI), we serve as an open academic hub where experienced professors, researchers, and students work side-by-side on advancing space propulsion technologies for a better future, both on Earth and among the stars.
Through collaboration with agencies and industry, we aim to connect academic research with the evolving needs of spacecrafts. Our work supports the European space sector by developing innovative, high-performance and reliable propulsion systems for the missions of tomorrow.
Ongoing Projects
Ongoing Projects
Active Team Members
Active Team Members
International Partnerships
International Partnerships
Years of Experience
Years of Experience
Supported By
Supported By
A Tradition of Aerospace Engineering Located within the Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering (DICI), our laboratory continues the University of Pisaโs historic legacy in aerospace propulsion. Our team combines the experience of tenured professors with the energy of PhD candidates and fellows, working to translate theoretical physics into viable propulsion systems.
From Simulation to Firing Test We do not rely on theory alone. Our research validates numerical models through rigorous experimental campaigns. Our facilities allow us to test chemical and electric thrusters in representative space conditions, utilizing high-vacuum chambers and advanced non-intrusive diagnostic systems to characterize plume physics and thruster performance.
Space Propulsion Research Topics
Space Propulsion Research Topics
Chemical Propulsion
Green propellants thrusters, high-test peroxide systems, innovative water propulsion
Electric Propulsion
Hall effect thrusters, iodine propulsion, cathodes and additive manufacturing
Nuclear Propulsion
Ammonia-based bimodal nuclear propulsion systems, NTP & NEP, in-space power generation
Turbomachinery & Cryogenics
Cryogenic journal bearings with liquid methane for reusable rocket engine turbopumps
Contribution to the Scientific Community Our results are regularly presented at major international conferences and published in high-impact journals. We are looking for bright, motivated engineers to join our research group. If you are interested in the physics of space flight and advanced engineering challenges, explore our open positions.
News
News
10th Space Propulsion Conference was a success!
10th Space Propulsion Conference was a success!
From the 18th to the 21st of May 2026 we attended the 10th SPACE PROPULSION CONFERENCE (SP2026) in Bari, Italy!๐ย
Almost our entire Space Propulsion Laboratory team presented their research work on chemical, electric and nuclear space propulsion technologies.
Chemical Propulsion
Fabio Faraoni et al. "Design of a Modular 100-N Bipropellant Thruster Prototype based on Hydrogen Peroxide and Hydrogen" - Link
Matteo Serchi Masini et al. "Experimental Validation of a Reinforced Blowdown Model using a saturated fluid as pressurant in a FEP Bladder Tank (Fuel Vapour Pressurization)"
Angelo Cervone et al. "Progress Toward Solar-to-Propellant Water-Based Propulsion: Programmatic Advances and Prototypes Development in the Green SWaP Project" - Link
Electric Propulsion
Guido Giammarinaro et al. "Effect of Channel Interaction on the Performance of the TANDEM 20-kW Nested Hall Thruster"
Carla Guidi et al. "Hollow Cathode Development for Iodine Electric Propulsion Systems"ย
Carla Guidi et al. "Study of High-Energy Ion Production using Laser-Induced Fluorescence"
Aldo Micciani et al. "Experimental characterization of diamond-based thermionic emitters for hollow cathodes"
Manuel Ferrazzani et al. "Design of a VLEO wind tunnel for the characterization of air-breathing electric propulsion"
Francesco Taccogna et al. "Particle-in-Cell model of an air-fed hollow cathode for air-breathing electric propulsion"ย
Nuclear Propulsion
Angelo Pasini et al., "Bimodal Ammonia Nuclear Thermal and Electric Rocket (BANTER) Project: Progress towards Test Campaigns" - Link
Aldo Micciani et al. "Design and Scaling of an Ammonia-Fed AF-MPDT for Bimodal Nuclear Propulsion"
Stefano Giuntini et al. "Cycle Analysis of a Nuclear Bimodal Propulsion System Using Ammonia as the Propellant" - Linkย
Stefano Mannucci et al. "Innovative Particle Bed Nuclear Reactor Design for Space Power and Propulsion Applications" - Link
Alberto Tacchi et al. "Influence of the Power Generation Cycle Design on the Development of an Ammonia-Fed Bimodal Nuclear Propulsion System" - Link
Natasha Palazzi et al. "Ammonia Catalytic Decomposition to Enhance the Performance of the Bimodal Ammonia Nuclear Thermal and Electric Rocket" - Link
Alessa Sperber et al. "Thermal Design of a Low-Power AF-MPD Thruster within the EU Project BANTER" - Link
Past and Upcoming Events
Past and Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
๐บ๐ธ 02-05 MAY 2027 โ Cleveland, USA - Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space Conference (NETS-2027)
๐บ๐ธ 11-15 JAN 2027 โ Orlando, FL, USA - AIAA SciTech Forum 2027 - (Abstracts submitted)
๐ฎ๐น 14-17 OCT 2026 - Pisa, Italy - First Workshop on Advanced Space Chemical, Electric and Nuclear Thrusters (ASCENT)
๐น๐ท 05-09 OCT 2026 โ Antalya, Turkey - 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) โ (Abstracts & Special Sessions accepted)
๐ฏ๐ต 05-07 JUL 2026 โ Tokyo, Japan - 19th International Symposium on Transport Phenomena and Dynamics of Rotating Machinery (Papers submitted)
๐ท๐ด 28-03 JUL 2026 โ Constanศa, Romania - 39th International Conference on ECOS โ (Papers accepted)
Milestones and Achievements
Milestones and Achievements
๐ฎ๐น 18-21 MAY 2026 โ Bari, Italy - 10th Space Propulsion Conference (SPC) โ (Delegation attending)
๐ฉ๐ช 01-04 MAR 2026 โ Karlsruhe, Germany - H2O2 Day & Green SWaP Annual Meeting - Poster Session on HTP Propulsion
๐ช๐บ 11 FEB 2026 โ Pisa, Italy - BANTER Preliminary Design Review: Completed
๐ฎ๐น 03-06 FEB 2026 โ Frascati, Italy - Conferenza Italiana Plasmi (CIP)
๐ฆ๐บ 29-03 OCT 2025 โ Sydney, Australia - 76th Int. Astronautical Congress (IAC) โ (5 papers)
๐ซ๐ท 15-19 SEP 2025 โ Paris, France - World Space Business Week (WSBW) โ (Delegation attending)
๐ฌ๐ง 14-19 SEP 2025 โ London, UK - 39th International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC) โ (Papers presented)
๐ช๐บ 29-30 JUL 2025 โ Pisa, Italy - BANTER System Requirements Review: Completed
๐ฎ๐น 30-04 JUL 2025 โ Rome, Italy - 11th European Conference for AeroSpace Sciences (EUCASS) โ (Delegation attending)
๐ฎ๐น 17-19 JUN 2025 โ Turin, Italy - 2nd European Conference on Magnetic Reconnection (ECMR) โ (Papers presented)
๐บ๐ธ 04-08 MAY 2025 โ Huntsville, USA - Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space Conference (NETS-2025) โ (Papers presented)
๐ช๐บ 09-10 APR 2025 โ Pisa, Italy - Green SWaP System Requirements Review: Completed
๐ฎ๐น 21 FEB 2025 โ Pisa, Italy - Lab Facilities Upgrade: chemical propulsion moved to B. Guerrini Laboratory
๐ช๐บ 14 FEB 2025 โ Pisa, Italy - Project BANTER Kick-off
๐ช๐บ 14 FEB 2025 โ Pisa, Italy - Project EXCITE Kick-off
๐ฎ๐น 14-18 OCT 2024 โ Milan, Italy - 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) โ (Delegation)
๐ช๐บ 10 OCT 2024 โ Pisa, Italy - Project Green SWaP Kick-off
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