The German Ambassador to Italy Visits Telespazio Headquarters

24 January 2025

The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Italy, Hans-Dieter Lucas, visited Telespazio’s headquarters in Rome today. The Ambassador was welcomed by Telespazio’s CEO, Gabriele Pieralli, Leonardo’s Managing Director of the Space Business Unit, Massimo Claudio Comparini, Telespazio’s Chief Operating Officer, Giuseppe Aurilio, Leonardo’s Chief International Affairs Officer, Marco Buratti, and e-GEOS CEO, Milena Lerario.

The meeting highlighted the importance of Italy-Germany collaboration in the space sector, a relationship that has translated into strategic and innovative projects for years.

Telespazio has a strong presence in Germany through its subsidiary Telespazio Germany, a center of excellence in space operations and systems engineering, with offices in Darmstadt and Gilching. Furthermore, through its subsidiary e-GEOS, Telespazio successfully operates in the geoinformation services sector with GAF, a company with offices in Munich and Neustrelitz.

A concrete example of synergy between the two countries in the space domain is Spaceopal, the joint venture established in 2009 between Telespazio and DLR-GfR, a company of the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Spaceopal is a global leader in satellite navigation services, responsible for the operations of Galileo, the European Union’s satellite navigation and positioning system.

Ambassador Hans-Dieter Lucas remarked: "Technology and innovation are essential to ensuring Europe is future-ready. The collaboration between Germany and Italy in the space sector is a remarkable example of this. Telespazio represents excellence in space technology and demonstrates the importance of partnerships in building the future together – from Earth observation to satellite communication. I am deeply impressed by what is being achieved here and look forward to the continuation of cooperation in this strategic field."

Telespazio CEO Gabriele Pieralli added: "This meeting was a valuable opportunity to strengthen dialogue between Italy and Germany in the space sector. Through our activities, such as those of Telespazio Germany, Spaceopal, and GAF, we demonstrate daily how international collaborations are key to tackling global technological challenges and creating value for Europe. We are proud to be a reference point for innovation and sustainability in such a strategic field."

From left: Gabriele Pieralli, CEO of Telespazio, Hans-Dieter Lucas, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Italy.

Massimo Claudio Comparini, Leonardo’s Managing Director of the Space Business Unit, said: “Germany and Italy are fondamental countries to shape the future of space in europe. Our long standing legacy in space projects cooperation is the best platform for Leonardo in space to contribute to a further growth with a number of players.” 

These collaborations not only reinforce Telespazio’s central role in the European space landscape but also demonstrate how the dialogue between Italy and Germany is essential for addressing technological challenges and fostering innovative services to benefit institutions, businesses, and communities across the European Union.

Other News & Stories

25.09.2026
Fucino Space Centre: from the first "ping" to the future of the Internet

Prof. Luciano Lenzini, a pioneer in bringing the Internet to Italy, met with Telespazio engineers and technicians at the Fucino Space Centre, through which the first Internet link between Italy and the United States passed 40 years ago.

21.09.2026
Connectivity: results of the satellite trial in Lombardy presented in Milan

Connecting entire villages to the national network through an infrastructure that combines satellite, fiber and wireless connections, in order to bring quality digital services even to the hardest-to-reach areas. This is the goal of the trial carried out in Lombardy, whose preliminary results were presented at the Milan office of the Department for Digital Transformation. Telespazio took part in the initiative by developing a proprietary backhauling solution that aggregates multiple satellite links.

15.09.2026
FLEX and Sentinel-3C in Orbit: Leonardo and Telespazio's Contribution to ESA's Earth Observation Missions

On September 15th 2026, at 03:21 Italian time, the FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Both travelled aboard the same launcher, Avio's Vega-C, and are now flying in tandem orbit, spaced roughly ten seconds apart, at an altitude of around 800 kilometres.

28.08.2026
MTG-I2 successfully launched: Telespazio acquired the first signal from the third Meteosat Third Generation satellite from the Fucino Space Centre

MTG-I2, the third Meteosat Third Generation satellite from ESA and EUMETSAT, lifted off yesterday, 27 August, at 20:11 UTC from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana, aboard an Arianespace Ariane 6 launcher. About 25 minutes after launch, Telespazio's Fucino Space Centre — a Leonardo Group subsidiary — acquired the satellite's first signal, officially marking the start of the LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase), which will last twelve days.

25.09.2026
Fucino Space Centre: from the first "ping" to the future of the Internet

Prof. Luciano Lenzini, a pioneer in bringing the Internet to Italy, met with Telespazio engineers and technicians at the Fucino Space Centre, through which the first Internet link between Italy and the United States passed 40 years ago.

21.09.2026
Connectivity: results of the satellite trial in Lombardy presented in Milan

Connecting entire villages to the national network through an infrastructure that combines satellite, fiber and wireless connections, in order to bring quality digital services even to the hardest-to-reach areas. This is the goal of the trial carried out in Lombardy, whose preliminary results were presented at the Milan office of the Department for Digital Transformation. Telespazio took part in the initiative by developing a proprietary backhauling solution that aggregates multiple satellite links.

15.09.2026
FLEX and Sentinel-3C in Orbit: Leonardo and Telespazio's Contribution to ESA's Earth Observation Missions

On September 15th 2026, at 03:21 Italian time, the FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Both travelled aboard the same launcher, Avio's Vega-C, and are now flying in tandem orbit, spaced roughly ten seconds apart, at an altitude of around 800 kilometres.

28.08.2026
MTG-I2 successfully launched: Telespazio acquired the first signal from the third Meteosat Third Generation satellite from the Fucino Space Centre

MTG-I2, the third Meteosat Third Generation satellite from ESA and EUMETSAT, lifted off yesterday, 27 August, at 20:11 UTC from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana, aboard an Arianespace Ariane 6 launcher. About 25 minutes after launch, Telespazio's Fucino Space Centre — a Leonardo Group subsidiary — acquired the satellite's first signal, officially marking the start of the LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase), which will last twelve days.