For the first time in Italy, some of the main players in space communication projects are meeting to discuss how we reached this point and what will happen to the Internet in the coming years. Space is increasingly relevant because it is no longer elsewhere: it is the next layer of our digital infrastructure. Networks are moving beyond the atmosphere and the Internet is beginning to extend beyond Earth’s orbit.
Moonlight, the ESA program, is preparing a lunar communication and navigation network: the enabling infrastructure for missions to come. At the same time, the space cloud is taking shape, where Leonardo is among the protagonists of new distributed architectures between Earth and space. And LEO connectivity is becoming a new level of global infrastructure.
IPNSIG, the international community leading the development of interplanetary networking, brings to Italy its expertise on Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN), the key protocol for communications beyond Earth’s orbit.
A morning to understand where we are heading and what “Internet Beyond Earth” truly means.
date
Friday, December 5th, 2025
10:00 to 13:00
LOCATION
Società Geografica Italiana ETS
Palazzetto Mattei, Villa Celimontana
Via della Navicella 12, Roma
program
10:30 – 10:45
Opening remarks:
- Riccardo Corbucci, President of the Commission for Roma Capitale, Statute and Technological Innovation
- Giulia Pastorella, Member of Parliament, member of the IX Transport and TLC Commission
- Andrea Casu, Member of Parliament, Vice President of the IX Transport and TLC Commission
- Prof. Gianluca Casagrande, Full Professor of Geography, European University of Rome (UER). Member of SGI
- Maurizio Goretti, Namex CEO
10:45 – 11:15
Introductions – Project by Project
- IPNSIG (Dr. Keith Scott) – IPNSIG and DTN protocol
- ESA (Dr. Felix Flentge) – Interoperable standards for lunar projects and beyond
- Leonardo (Marco Brancati) – Space cloud, security, intersatellite links
- Telespazio (Nicola Pizzolorusso) – ASSIGN (Advancing Solar System Internet and GrouNd)
11:15 – 12:00
Roundtable – moderated by Emilio Cozzi:
Internet in space – from the Moon to LEO constellations, through interplanetary protocols and the space cloud
Q&A and closing remarks
Speakers
Riccardo Corbucci
President of the Roma Capitale Commission on Statute and Technological Innovation
On. Giulia Pastorella
Member of Parliament, member of the IX Transport and TLC Commission
On. Andrea Casu
Member of Parliament, Vice President of the IX Transport and TLC Commission
Prof. Gianluca Casagrande
Full Professor of Geography, European University of Rome (UER). Member of SGI
Maurizio Goretti
Namex CEO
Dr. Keith Scott
Principal Engineer, The MITRE Corporation — Chair, CCSDS Space Internetworking Systems (SIS) / Delay-Tolerant Networking Working Group
Dr. Felix Flentge
Communication Systems Engineer, ESA European Space Operations Centre (ESOC)
Marco Brancati
SVP Technology, Innovation & Systems Architecture — Technical Director, Leonardo Space Division
Nicola Pizzolorusso
VP Strategic Planning, Scenarios & New Initiatives, Telespazio
Christian Cinetto
Head of Communication and Content - Namex
