Dr. Enrico Russo

Affiliation: Italian Space Agency / Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Italy

Biography: Enrico Russo, joined the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in 2001 where, at present, is serving as Head of Matera “ASI Space Centre”.

Throughout about 40 years of professional experience, gained mainly in the Satellite Communications sector, he had the opportunity to broaden his management skills working on international programs belonging to different space domains, as Space Science and Telecommunication programs.

In 2010 he was appointed Head of ASI Telecommunications and Integrated Applications Division and, in 2015, was appointed ASI Technical and Scientific Director.

He managed the development of: ATHENA-FIDUS, a dual use joint ASI/CNES Ka-Band Satcom satellite, launched in 2014, “Aldo Paraboni” P/L hosted aboard the Alphasat satellite and associated communications and propagation experiments in Q/V frequency bands, Satellite P/L in Ku band as ASI opportunity payload hosted on EDRS-A, etc.. He was Italian Delegate at ESA JCB board (2012-2016).

At present is also leading “Mirror GovSatCom” initiative, the governmental program aimed to develop a new national capability for institutional telecommunication satellite services, based on a new satellite system named “Ital-GovSatCom”.

Enrico Russo graduated from the University of Naples where he received the “summa cum

laude” degree in Electronic Engineering in 1983. His studies include a Master in Business

Administration (MBA) and an International Master of Space System Engineering (MSE) from the Delft University of Technology.

After a first experience (1983-1986) in hi-tech industries (Italtel, Selenia) where he was involved in performance evaluation of communication networks and in design and development of digital units for command and control systems, in 1986 he joined the “Ugo Bordoni” Foundation in Rome, one of the most important Italian research centres in information and communication technology, where, in 1989 he was appointed senior researcher in the Radio-Communications Division dealing with fixed and mobile terrestrial and satellite communication systems.

He was IEEE member.

He is author or co-author of more than 60 technical and scientific papers.

Title: Ital-govsatcom: a new national capability for institutional telecommunication satellite services

Abstract: Italian Government defined the “Space Economy Strategical Plan”, with the scope to exploit all value chain of space activities, promote national industry and develop services and applications, based on space systems, for different field of application (transports, environment, infrastructure monitoring, security, safety of life, etc.). The Plan foresees various thematic areas: telecommunication, earth observation, navigation, space exploration.

The first Italian Space Economy program, now at its beginning phase, is the “Mirror GovSatCom Program”, related to satellite telecommunication area. The Program is aimed to develop a new national capability for institutional telecommunication satellite services, based on Ital-GovSatCom, a new satellite system.

Main features of Ital-GovSatCom will be a high security level to assure protection of transmitted information, good resilience, service continuity and availability to support institutional users and critical missions, as emergency, civil protection, critical infrastructures.

Ital-GovSatCom will be in synergy with the European actions oriented to the exploitation of satellite communications technologies and infrastructures in the domain of security. Thus, the system could be integrated in the future GOVSATCOM European program, supporting its services with satellite capability or ground infrastructure (HUB).

Ital-GovSatCom will be realized by a Public Private Partnership for Innovation, funded by Ministry of Economic Development (MISE), and will be supported by a “Research & Innovation” Multi-Regional Cooperation Program.

This paper is devoted to the overview of the initial phase of the program and will focus on the development plan in the framework of the national strategy in the space sector. Main features of the system architecture, innovative capabilities and supported services will be presented.