From the “Distretto Virtuale” Statistical Panel of the Italian Space Agency: A First Attempt to Measure and Comment on 20 Cases of Firms Reporting “Space-Related” Production

Abstract

The “Distretto Virtuale” is a Web portal on the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Website, for interactive information with business, science community, and all other sectoral stakeholders. Hundreds of users witness its importance as a promotional tool for the industry competencies, a newsletter and document repository, and a collaborative instrument on programs and projects. One main collaborative feature is the statistical panel that is providing yearly, meaningful estimates of the Italian space sector trends. An interinstitutional working group supports the portal in the re-elaboration of these data, including additional enquiries. In particular, this working group is engaged in determining the existence and size of “space-related” activities. This definition applies to any type of production for terrestrial users and depending on space but not on a crucial and absolute way, in that differing from what is usually referred as space “downstream.” This work reports on one first attempt of measuring the phenomenon and based on a “subpanel” of 20 firms qualifying for conducting this business. The need to monitor the “space-related” area emerged from a wider search into optimal business models that could offer high performance standards in space as well as the best possible attitude for returns to Earth and toward the “space economy.” This test measurement of “space-related” activities provided useful insights into their quantity, quality, and perspective, and aimed mainly at confirming what emerged in preliminary studies: the conduct of these activities is a positive element for performances in the space business itself. The dedicated subpanel shows interesting indexes of space turnover progression, productivity, and R&ST intensity. This work describes how the measurement was reiterated after the preliminary studies, extending both panel and time period, and outlines evolutions and improvement of this monitoring activity that appears like a new mainstay of the space strategy makers.

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