After the heavy limitations of the global health emergency, the Italian crew returned to Antarctica with 220 technicians and researchers to conduct the 37th Italian research expedition, fully resuming scientific and logistics activities for the 2021-2022 Summer Campaign.
As occurs every year, many new research projects were carried out at the Mario Zucchelli and Concordia stations, the various foreign bases, and on the ‘Laura Bassi’ oceonographic research ice-breaker vessel.
Once more, the Italian missions were managed by ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, with the support of the Antarctica Technical Unit, initially led by Gianluca Bianchi Fasani and then Alberto della Rovere.
Together, they coordinate and deliver logistics services, controlling all of the scientific research activities and ensuring the well-being of the personnel during their stay at the base.
Telespazio is one of the companies that supported ENEA in this successful mission by providing the satellite communication technologies.
More specifically, thanks to significant investments in new hybrid communication technologies, IoT and drones, Telespazio was able to provide ENEA with a hardware and software solution that monitors the sensors at the Mario Zucchelli base.
Developed in partnership with the company ADPM Drones, the system allowed for the creation of a remote monitoring platform that verifies, controls and modifies the systems status of the sensors at the base via satellite, the only available communication system in the territory.
The developments in satellite communications in the past few years have put Telespazio on the frontline, also thanks to the support of innovative start-ups (today SMEs), like ADPM Drones, a company that creates applications and services that improve the lives of people on our planet and help overcome the great challenges of out times, such as fighting the effects of climate change.
“Monitoring the territory with Telespazio’s hybrid communication systems responds to the need for new application scenarios that require innovative mobility, emergency and integrated logistics support solutions, while also contributing to the fight against climate change.”
Alessandro Caranci, Head of the Line of Business Satellite Communications - Telespazio.
In order to guarantee these new application scenarios, Telespazio provides the country with teleports, both in Italy and overseas, allowing for the secure use of the latest mobile and fixed terrestrial and satellite-based communication applications.
“This was a huge challenge for our company. A challenge that was significantly dictated by the tight deadlines and the extremely hostile environmental conditions of the Antarctic. Being able to keep all of the equipment under control and guarantee constant monitoring, also at the end of the expedition, which was not a requirement in previous missions, is a huge result that would have been unimaginable until a short time ago.”
Luca Brizzi, Executive President and Head of R&D at ADPM Drones.