To provide dedicated infrastructure that assures effective communications between Earth and space, with a view to supporting the future human exploration of Mars: this is the focus of the Sardinia Deep Space Antenna (SDSA) project.

The upgraded space capacity of the Sardinia Deep Space Antenna forms part of the Earth-Moon-Mars (EMM) programme, funded by the Italian Recovery and Resilience Plan/Ministry of University and Research (PNRR/MUR) under the “Strengthening and Creation of Research Infrastructures” rubric; the Italian Space Agency, together with INAF and CNR, is the holder of these funds.

The launch of the "Enhancement of the Sardinia Deep Space Antenna  (SDSA) space capabilities: Phase 1" includes a three-day kick off meeting at the corporate headquarters of Telespazio S.p.A.

The SDSA upgrade project is intended to provide navigation and communication services for robotic and human exploration missions in Deep Space (over 2 million km from Earth) and Near Earth (within 2 million km, with a particular focus on lunar missions), and in support of major scientific experiments.

ASI has used additional funds allocated by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers to supplement PNRR funding in order to complete the development of this infrastructure. The contract was awarded to Telespazio S.p.A. and will bring together OHB, the University of Bologna, Nautilus, Antech Space and many southern Italian companies.

The Sardinia Deep Space Antenna already shares some systems and infrastructure with the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT), located in San Basilio (Cagliari) and operated by the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) for the purposes of radio astronomy, but the upgradation project will equip it with its own state-of-the-art equipment for space projects and missions under the aegis of ASI.

The SDSA will participate in ASI and other space agency missions, as well as joint research projects with INAF and other research institutes and universities, thus offering numerous opportunities for national and international collaboration.

The project aims to upgrade the SDSA@SRT Site station’s reception capacity from its current X-band systems, by updating its X- and Ka-band Deep Space mission reception systems and installing X- and K-band systems for Near Earth missions.

The upgradation of the SDSA to Full Operational Capability (FOC) presupposes the implementation of the transmission capability and equipment required for navigation, communications and radio science. It will be initiated with the current project and completed later with the development of a new station, the SDSA Main Complex.

The SDSA Research Center, whose headquarters are nearing completion at Selargius (Cagliari), and the SDSA's operational centres (the SDSA@SRT Site and the upcoming SDSA Main Complex) will work together to form a strategic international science and technology R&D hub.

For further information, see the video on AsiTV.