The study of the primordial Universe and gravitation laws

The arrival of the space era led to an impressive development of knowledge in the industry of cosmology, i.e. the study of the origin (and the destiny) of the Universe and the formation of the first structures. Born and developed in the optical band, including the use of the Hubble Space Telescope, this industry evolved towards the study of diffuse background radiation, in the microwave band, and large-scale structures evolving on cosmological times, for which observation is key in the infrared and millimetre ranges. Therefore, the observation of space has become critical to the development of knowledge in this industry. Thanks to space missions, the knowledge acquired in the last few years had a strong impact not only within the scientific community, but also on the public opinion, since they entail answers to the key questions on the origin and the end of the Universe.

‣ All the missions

EUCLID

EUCLID ‣

Euclid was the second Medium-class (M2) mission of the ESA Scientific Programme and aims at improving the knowledge on dark matter and dark energy

Gaia

Gaia ‣

Gaia is a mission of the ESA scientific programme, aimed at obtaining a three-dimensional map of our galaxy by showing its composition, formation and evolution


LISA

LISA ‣

LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is the ESA’s future mission aimed at detecting gravitational waves from space, which involves manufacturing, launching and operating a constellation of three satellites which are millions of kilometers away from each other

LISA PATHFINDER

LISA PATHFINDER ‣

The LISA Pathfinder space mission is the technological forerunner of the gravitational waves space observatory planned by the ESA as the third large-scale mission of its Cosmic Vision scientific programme

PAMELA

PAMELA ‣

The PAMELA space mission is part of the RIM (Russian-Italian-Missions) programme and is an advanced observatory to study cosmic rays

HERSCHEL

HERSCHEL ‣

Herschel is an ESA 3.5 diameter telescope, operating in the far infrared and submillimetre range

PLANCK

PLANCK ‣

The Planck mission is the third Medium-Sized Mission (M3) of the ESA Horizon 2000 programme and aims at studying the cosmic microwave background

‣ News

WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2025

The effect if the wildfire in California observed by PRISMA satellite ‣

PRISMA maps the Palisades area

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FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER 2024

COSMO-SkyMed carried out radar acquisitions to analyse tanker collision in the Black Sea ‣

On Sunday 15th December, bad weather conditions led to an accident involving two oil tankers, resulting in an oil spill in the Kerch Strait. MORE...

WEDNESDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2024

Memorandum of Understanding signed between ASI and the Commissioner General’s Office for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka ‣

The protocol is intended to promote national excellence in technologies applied to the space and aerospace industries MORE...

TUESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2024

Listening to cochlear sounds to estimate intracranial pressure changes on the ISS ‣

New results from the ASI experiment Acoustic Diagnostics MORE...

TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2024

JUICE’s RIME Radar Pings the Moon and Listens to Earth ‣

ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice, launched the 14th April 2023, will make detailed observations of the giant gas planet and its three moons – Ganymede, Callisto and Europa – with a suite of the state-of-the-art instruments MORE...