Oltre l’atmosfera: dalla nuova “space economy” alla necessità di un’orbita sostenibile

Eugenia Modica de Mohac¹, Marilena di Natale², Angela Cuttitta², Vito Pipitone², Marianna Musco², Tiziana Masullo², Marco Torri², Salvatore Capasso³

¹Università Lumsa Palermo, ²CNR-ISMed, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo, ³CNR-DSU, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Patrimonio Culturale

DOI: 10.36134/PBDSU-2025-16 Download as .PDF file

From the first steps beyond the atmosphere to today’s most recent developments, human activity in space has achieved extraordinary progress. Rapid innovation in this field ranges from scientific research on celestial bodies and the potential exploitation of their resources, to satellite technologies used for Earth observation and monitoring—tools that are crucial for understanding climate change and the impact of human activities on the environment.

This dynamism has opened new economic perspectives, encompassed in the concept of the space economy: the set of space activities capable of generating value and benefits for both society and the terrestrial ecosystem. However, the expansion of such activities also raises complex challenges, particularly from a regulatory and environmental standpoint.

In Italy, an initial attempt at regulation is represented by the recent draft law DDL A.C. 2026-A, which addresses issues related to legal governance and the phenomenon of space pollution. It is therefore urgent to update legislation on orbital debris, promote prevention and disposal practices, and foster the development of technologies capable of combining economic growth with sustainability in space.

How to cite

Modica de Mohac, E., di Natale, M., Cuttitta, A., Pipitone, V., Musco, M., Masullo, T., Torri, M., Capasso, S. (2025). Oltre l’atmosfera: dalla nuova “space economy” alla necessità di un’orbita sostenibile (DSU Policy brief 16). CNR-Dipartimento di Scienze Umane e Sociali, Patrimonio culturale. https://doi.org/10.36134/PBDSU-2025-16.

Last updated: 1 October 2025