The new SPTF (Space Propulsion Test Facility) was inaugurated this morning in Perdasdefogu, a center of technological excellence unique in Europe that enables the development of new technologies essential for the space transport supply chain in the coming decades.
The Avio CEO Giulio Ranzo, the Brigadier General Davide Marzinotto, the president of the Sardinian Regional Council Michele took part in the presentation of the project, which took place at the Joint Experimental Training Range of Salto di Quirra (PISQ). Pais, General Francesco Olla, Commander of the Sardinian Army military command.
Many military and civil authorities and key players in the aerospace world were also present, including the president of the Italian Space Agency Giorgio Saccoccia, the head of the flight programs of Space Transport Esa Stefano Bianchi, the president of the Sardinia Aerospace District Giacomo Cao and Luca Andreoli, General Manager of Defense Services, the in-house company of the Ministry of Defense through which Avio signed the contract for the assignment of the 68,000 square meter area owned by the PISQ and today the headquarters of the SPTF.
Cutting the ribbon, therefore, for the new industrial site and, in particular, for the LRE (Liquid Rocket Engine) test bench for the execution of tests for the development and qualification of new generation space engines, with low environmental impact and based on cryogenic liquid oxygen (LOx) and liquid methane (LNG) propellants.
THE PROJECT - “Liquid methane propulsion is the new frontier of performance and environmental compatibility and the heart of the development of the Vega E, an enhanced version of the Vega C that will fly for the first time in 2022”, explained Giulio Ranzo. “Right here at the SPTF inaugurated today, by the end of the year we will test the new third cryogenic liquid oxygen-methane upper stage (M10) thanks to which the Vega E will not only be more flexible, convenient and performing but also greener. For the development of this new launcher we recently signed a contract worth 118.8 million euros with the European Space Agency: for Sardinia a pivotal role in the world of aerospace at an international level ".
With the inauguration of the LRE test bench, the first phase of the SPTF project is also concluded, which will now continue with a plant for the construction of carbon-carbon components. In parallel and as an integral part of the SPTF Project, the engineering activities will take place in the AVIO headquarters in Sardinia, in Villaputzu.
Precisely in Villaputzu in the afternoon, Avio together with the Sardinian Aerospace District (DASS) and the National Aerospace Technology Cluster (CTNA) organized the conference "Space propulsion: future scenarios for access to space" to take stock with experts from the Italian Aerospace Research Center (CIRA), of ASI and of the La Sapienza and Politecnico Universities of Milan on the state of research and on the creation of skills and infrastructures necessary to enable future scenarios for access to Space.
(Unioneonline / vl)