Veloped by INAF

1 2 3 Aa.Vv. Italian Report to the 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly

Graphic design & layout: Davide Coero Borga Managing editor: Pietro Ubertini

Images credits: ASDC, ASI, ESA, ESO, INAF, JPL, NASA Cover credits: Andrea Cellarius

4 Aa.Vv. Italian Report to the 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly

Graphic design & layout: Davide Coero Borga Managing editor: Pietro Ubertini ITALIAN

5 6 INDEX

Benvenuti 7 55 CHEOPS 55 COrE++ Scientific Commission A 13 56 CoRoT COSMO Sky-Med 14 58 DAMPE GOCE 16 58 Euclid PRISMA 16 59 Fermi 60 Gaia Scientific Commission B 19 61 HERSCHEL BepiColombo 20 64 HST Cassini-Huygens 22 65 INTEGRAL DAWN 23 66 JWST ExoMars 24 66 LSPE JUICE 28 67 NuStar Mars Express 29 67 OLIMPO MRO 30 68 PAMELA Rosetta 31 69 Planck 69 PLATO Scientific Commission C 33 70 SPICA CSES-Limadou 34 71 Swift DUSTER 36 71 XMM-Newton JUNO 37 75 Scientific Commission F Scientific Commission D 41 76 ALTEA ASPIICS 42 76 ELITE-02 CLUSTER 42 77 HPA Hinode 43 77 MDS SCORE 43 SOHO 44 79 Scientific Commission H Solar Orbiter 45 80 AMS-02 STEREO 46 81 ARIEL THOR 47 82 e-LISA 82 LARES Scientific Commission E 51 83 LISA AGILE 52 83 GG Astrosat 52 Athena 53 87 Sitography CALET 53 93 Acknowledgments Chandra 54

7 8 Benvenuti

9 10 Foreword

Pietro Ubertini, Italian National Committee Delegate to COSPAR.

The Italian Report of the 41st COSPAR General other international space organizations. Italy is Assembly is designed by the National Institute playing a major role in the European Space Agen- for Astrophysics (INAF), which supports CO- cy (ESA) Cosmic Vision program, participating SPAR’s activities, with the collaboration of the in the next large mission to Mercury, BepiCo- Italian Space Agency (ASI) and other stakeholders lombo (launch planned 2018), Small mission for playing a major role in the Italian scientific spa- exoplanet search, CHEOPS (2018), Medium size ce programs. This Report summarizes two years missions M1-Solar Orbiter (2018), M2-Euclid (2015-2016) of science space activity in Italy and (2020), and M3-PLATO (2024). The Italian com- the aim is to provide the relevant information in a munity is also committed to the exploitation of snapshot, giving at the same time a full overview the ESA first Large mission L1-JUICE (2022), to of the current Italian space research programs. the Jupiter’s icy moons, as well as L2-ATHENA The Report is divided in seven scientific commis- (2028), to study the hot and energetic Universe, sions: Space Studies of the Earth’s Surface, Me- and in the forthcoming Gravitational Wave Ob- teorology and Climate (A); Space Studies of the servatory (2034). Italy participates to the EXO- Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of MARS program, a scientific exploration mission the Solar System (B); Space Studies of the Upper lead by ASI to bring a rover to Mars, which is Atmospheres of the Earth and Planets Including a joint venture between Italy, ESA and Russia. Reference Atmospheres (C); Space Plasmas in the Italy contributes to the Chinese-Italian satellite Solar System, Including Planetary Magnetosphe- CSES Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (2017), res (D); Research in Astrophysics from Space (E); designed to monitor electromagnetic field and Life Sciences as Related to Space (F); Materials waves, plasma and particles perturbations of Sciences in Space, and Fundamental Physics in the atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere Space (H). induced by natural sources and anthropocentric The main research programs revolve around the emitters, and to study their correlations with the observation of the Universe including cosmolo- occurrence of seismic events. gy, planetary science, fundamental physics, Earth After the 2014 COSPAR’s report, Italy has been observation, climate and meteorology, life science celebrating its 50 years of scientific space explora- in space, and space related new technologies. Re- tion: the San Marco 1 satellite was launched by an levant contributions are provided by the national Italian team using an American Scout rocket from research bodies (INAF, CNR, INFN, etc.), which Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, US on Decem- propose space programs, missions, satellites and ber 15, 1964. The successful experiment re-ente- observatories in different research fields. The red the atmosphere on September 13, 1965. Since majority of the Italian scientific space programs then, the Italian scientific and industrial commu- are carried out in the framework of the European nity has continued its path toward space explora- Space Agency (ESA) funding, via the mandatory tion building up on the achieved success, investing and optional programs. Italy has also a well-con- in space programmes and cooperation with other solidated partnership with NASA, but also with countries pushing to the extremes our frontier of Russian, Chinese, and Japan space agencies and knowledge.

11 12 Italy as a global player

Nicolò D’Amico, president of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics.

The National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) ray project, and we are leading the political ne- has a peculiarity comparing to other astrono- gotiations to transform the SKA Organisation mical research institutions around the world, in an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO). because INAF covers all the branches of mo- INAF is deeply engaged into outreach activi- dern astronomy. Nowadays, the modern astro- ties: it owns and manages several Visitor Cen- nomy is extremely specialized, but at the same ters and organizes public conferences and di- time major studies are addressed by a multi dactic activities for schools. wavelength approach. That being said, a single Of course INAF is also involved in space national Institute covering all the branches of astronomy and space science activities, and the modern astronomy has a great potential. INAF information provided in this report prove that is organized into seventeen Research Structures the involvement is massive, covering almost all spread throughout Italy, each one representing the fields of space research. a “center of cost”. A few of the Structures have We have a solid collaboration with the Italian a relatively narrow imprinting related to the Space Agency (ASI) and we are proud to be in- management of major national facilities, but volved, through rather competitive selections, the majority of Structures has multidiscipli- into several space missions of the European nary skills. This includes several technologi- Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. The Italian cal projects related to the development of new Government has recently allocated significant instruments and techniques, which are carried resources to the National Plan for Research out keeping an authoritative eye to a systema- (PNR), in which space research has a promi- tic transfer of knowledge towards the national nent role, so we can safely predict a strong en- industry. We own and manage the National Te- gagement of our Institute into the future of lescope Galileo (TNG) at the Canary Islands; space research. we are members of the Large Binocular Tele- I am proud to read the present report and I am scope (LBT) Foundation in Arizona; we own grateful to Pietro Ubertini - one of the most and manage three radio telescopes involved in outstanding scientists in this field - for the ef- the European VLVBI Network (EVN); Italy fort. is member of the European Southern Obser- vatory since 1982, and INAF President is the Italian representative in ESO Council. Furthermore, INAF directly supports the design and construction of one most challenging telescope ever conceived so far: the “European Extremely Large Telescope” (E-ELT) and is also involved in the Cherenkov Telescope Ar- ray (CTA) project, hosting the headquarters of the CTA Organization in Bologna (Italy). We are also involved in the Square Kilometer Ar-

13 14 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

15 COSMO Sky-Med

The COSMO-SkyMed system is a constellation of four radar satellites for Earth Ob- servation founded by the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense.

COSMO-SkyMed is at the forefront of techno- change attitude in order to acquire images at logy and uses high-resolution radar sensors to both right and left side of the satellite ground observe the Earth day and night, regardless of track (nominal acquisition is right looking weather conditions. The constellation is fully mode). operational since the 2008. The Ground Segment is responsible for ma- Its purpose is to monitor the Earth for the naging the constellation and granting ad-hoc sake of emergency prevention (management services for collection, archiving and delivery of environmental risks), strategy (defense and of products to the users. security), scientific and commercial purposes, providing data on a global scale to support a Environmental disasters variety of applications among which risk ma- Data and products supplied by the CO- nagement, environment protection, natural re- SMO-SkyMed System represent a valid and sources exploration, land management, defen- important instrument, to carry on studies se and security. about causes and phenomena preceding envi- The constellation consists of 4 medium-size ronmental disasters as well as to improve the satellites, each one equipped with a microwa- monitoring and evaluation of damages in case, ve high-resolution synthetic aperture radar for examples, of landslips, flood, earthquakes (SAR) operating in X-band, having ~600 km and volcanic eruptions. Observation within a single side access ground area, orbiting in specific area can be made during day or night a sun-synchronous orbit at ~620km height and even in case of clouds, thus allowing to over the Earth surface, with the capability to evaluate superficial alterations of the territory

16 and providing institutions in charge of mana- a strong impact on the quality of air and on ging the risk with a new and useful instrument earth resources. of prevention and control. Furthermore, the system represents a precious help for sea traf- Buildings fic control. The high geometric accuracy of COSMO-Sky- Med images as well as its space and temporal Oceans and seacoasts high resolution are incisive instruments for COSMO-SkyMed satellites can provide conti- monitoring new settlements or soil and subsoil nuous and accurate information about condi- collapses, which are usually considered as the tions of seacoasts, seas and inland waters, so main cause of framework downfalls. as to evaluate phenomena of coast erosion and pollution. Cartography Images supplied by the COSMO-SkyMed sy- Agricultural and forest resources stem may allow a new high resolution technical COSMO-SkyMed satellites are capable to use and thematic cartography and the accomplish- – both to transmit and to receipt – horizon- ment of a deeply accurate soil three-dimensio- tally and vertically polarized signals. This skill nal digital model for various applications. strengthens the possibility to classify soils as well as to monitor cultures during their phase of growth. Of particular interest is the possibility to monitor forests, which destruction has

17 GOCE PRISMA

Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Earth Observation system with inno- Circulation Explorer is a mission de- vative, electro-optical instrumentation voted to measuring the Earth gravita- that combine a hyperspectral sensor tional field. with a medium-resolution panchromatic camera.

GOCE mission has been the first ESA Earth PRISMA (PRecursore IperSpettrale della Mis- Explorer mission in orbit. Italy, has contri- sione Applicativa - Hyperspectral Precursor of buted to the satellite construction through the Application Mission) is an earth observa- Thales Alenia. Moreover, Politecnico of Mi- tion satellite for monitoring of natural resour- lan has been a fundamental part of the Con- ces and atmospheric characteristics (informa- sortium called HPF (High Level Processing tion on land cover and crop status, pollution Facility) which has the task of transforming quality of inland waters, status of coastal zo- the satellite data into the estimation of the nes and the Mediterranean Sea, soil mixture Earth gravity field. Finally, ASI has funded the and carbon cycle). PRISMA combines an in- GOCE-ITALY project that has enabled the in- novative hyperspectral camera (~ 250 bands in vestigation of the GOCE data by the Italian the range 400-2500 nm) with a panchromatic scientists. GOCE payloads are: the Electrosta- (0.4 - 0.7 µm) medium-resolution camera. tic Gravity Gradiometer (EGG) and the Satel- lite to Satellite Tracking Instrument (SSTI), based on precise GPS receiver.

18 19 20 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

21 BepiColombo

BepiColombo is an ESA/JAXA mission devoted to the exploration of Mercury and to fundamental physics quests. It is composed by two spacecrafts: MMO and MPO. It will be launched in the 2018 arriving at Mercury at the end of 2024. Italy is contributing with four instruments: ISA, MORE, SERENA, SIMBIO-SYS.

The BepiColombo mission represents the cor- minor participation on other instruments on nerstone n.5 of the ESA and the name is due both modules. The accelerometer ISA, with to prof. Giuseppe Colombo that discovered the the responsibility of INAF-IAPS, will measure spin-orbit resonance between Mercury and the with high accuracy non-gravitational accelera- Sun. tions. The radio science experiment MORE, The BepiColombo mission is composed by with the responsibility of the University of two modules: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter Sapienza in Rome, will provide very accurate (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetospheric Or- position of MPO with respect to the Earth and biter (MMO). the Sun, in order to determine the parameters In MPO, 11 european instruments are integra- of the theory of General Relativity and the in- ted. The main scientific objectives are related ternal structure of Mercury. to the surface and composition of Mercury, to The four sensors SERENA instrument, with its internal structure and environment and to the responsibility of INAF-IAPS, will monitor the test of Einstein’s theory of General Rela- neutral energetic atoms and ions of the planet tivity. exosphere. The MMO includes 10 sensors realized and in- Finally the suite SIMBIO-SYS, with the re- tegrated in Japan by JAXA. The main scienti- sponsibility of INAF-Astronomical Obser- fic objectives are related to the magnetosphere vatory of Padua in collaboration with INAF- and exosphere of Mercury and to the interpla- IAPS and Parthenope University (Naples), netary medium. The launch will be on April composed by a stereo camera, an high resolu- 2018, with the Ariane 5, and they will be in- tion camera and a hyperspectral Vis-NIR ima- serted in orbit around Mercury at the end of ger, will provide 50% of the data volume of 2024. the entire mission through images and spectra The Italian contribution is very important in- of the entire surface of Mercury, even in 3D. cluding four PI instruments on the MPO plus

22 23 Cassini-Huygens

Cassini-Huygens conducts in-depth studies of Saturn, its moons, rings and magnetic environment and has landed on Titan, the planet’s largest moon.

Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI craft to obtain observations of Saturn’s rings robotic spacecraft mission currently studying as the sun lit them edge-on, revealing a host the planet Saturn and its moons. The space- of never-before-seen insights into the rings’ craft consists of two main elements: the NASA structure of great relevance for planetary for- Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe. It was mation and planetary science in general. Since launched on October 15, 1997 and entered 2010, the spacecraft has conducted a second, into orbit around Saturn on July 1, 2004. On seven-year-long, extended mission called the January 14, 2005 the Huygens probe reached Cassini Solstice Mission. This final mission Saturn’s moon Titan. Italy supplied the main will conclude in 2017 with a phase known as part of the telecom system: the high- gain an- The Grand Finale and a final plunge into Sa- tenna- HGA realized by TAS-I. Also the Ita- turn’s atmosphere. lian scientific contribution to Cassini’s probe is Among the remarkable discoveries obtained by very important: Italy is contributing with the Cassini are, beside the fantastic world of Sa- visible channel of the Visual/Infrared Map- turn’s rings, a first understanding of Titan’s ping Spectrometer VIMS- V, contributes to the surface and atmosphere and of its Earth-like radio detection and ranging instrument RA- processes, and the observation on the small DAR, to the radio science instrument and pro- moon Enceladus of water ice jets produced by vided the PI instrument HASI, the Atmosphe- a hot-spot at its southern pole, which allowed ric Structure Instrument on board Huygens. to deduce the presence of liquid water beneath When its initial four-year tour of the Sa- its surface. turn system was complete in 2008, the Cassi- ni-Huygens mission had already changed our understanding of the complex and diverse Saturn system. The first two-year extension, Cassini Equinox Mission allowed the space-

24 DAWN

Dawn orbited and explored the giant protoplanet Vesta in 2011-2012, and now it is in orbit and exploring a second new world, dwarf planet Ceres.

Dawn orbited the protoplanet Vesta and is now restrial planets (including Earth) than to typi- in orbit around the dwarf planet Ceres as part cal asteroids. Like planets, it has a dense core, of its mission to characterize the conditions surrounded by a mantle and a crust. Vesta is and processes that shaped our solar system. Ve- also the source of more meteorites on Earth sta and Ceres are the two most massive bodies than Mars or the moon. Dwarf planet Ceres, in the main asteroid belt between Mars and larger yet less dense, is believed to have a large Jupiter. By studying these two giant remnants amount of ice and may even have subsurface li- from the epoch of planet formation, Dawn will quid water. Ceres was the first dwarf planet di- provide scientists with new knowledge of how scovered and Dawn is now studying it in detail. the solar system formed and evolved. the first findings indicate that Ceres is more Dawn is a NASA Discovery mission launched closely related to the outer Solar System bo- on September 27, 2007. It has reached and suc- dies than to the typical asteroids. The mission cessfully explored the asteroid Vesta in 2011. represents the ideal bridge between the explo- It orbited around Vesta for more than one year, ration of the inner Solar System dominated giving important clues on the primordial So- by rocky bodies and the external gaseous/icy lar System. It reached Ceres in early 2015 and bodies and it will allow to complete the explo- its now orbiting around it, collecting data of ration providing fundamental data on the role the innermost dwarf planet. The Dawn mis- that the water had during the early period of sion has achieved several important firsts in the planetary evolution. space exploration. It is the only spacecraft ever The payload is composed by 3 instrumen- to orbit two destinations beyond Earth and ts, plus radio science. Italy provides the ima- the only to orbit an object in the main aste- ging spectrometer VIR (Visual and Infrared roid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The giant Spectrometer), its PI (INAF-IAPS) and seve- protoplanet Vesta was confirmed to be a fasci- ral mission CO-I and team members. VIR has nating world more closely related to the ter- been built by Selex-ES.

25 ExoMars

Two missions: one consisting of an Orbiter plus an Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module, launched in 2016, and the other, featuring a rover, with a launch date of 2020.

ExoMars is a scientific programme of the transport the German landing module, and ESA. Divided in two distinct missions, it will once released the rover, it will study the sur- investigate the Martian environment, its ge- rounding environment. ochemical and geophysical characteristics, including traces of past and present life on Mars Italian contribution and help gather information for future manned ESA has assigned the leadership of both mis- missions to the Red Planet. The first mission sions to Italy. Italy has the responsibility over in 2016 will have two main elements, the Trace all system’s elements of the missions and di- Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Schiaparelli, the En- rect responsibility over of the EDM module try, Descent and Landing Module (EDM). The of ExoMars 2016, called Schiaparelli, the 2 TGO, with the Italian instrument NOMAD meter long drill that will perforate Martian on board, is led by France and will study the surface for sample retrieval and the control gas composition of the atmosphere of Mars, made by an Italian industry (Selex-ES). Italy looking for possible biological and geological is also responsible for the RROC in Turin, the activities. The EDM module Schiaparelli has center from which the rover will be operated. an Italian leadership and will land on Mars, te- The camera, called CaSSIS (Colour and Stereo sting landing technologies; a key element for Scientific Imaging System), is designed by the future missions to the planet. The second mis- University of Bern with the help of INAF-A- sion, expected for 2020, will have a European stronomical Observatory of Padua and ASI. rover and a Russian surface platform. The ro- CaSSIS will provide stereo colour high reso- ver, led by the UK, combines the capacity of lution images of Martian regions. It will also movement to that of drilling the surface up support other instruments of the TGO in to 2 meters in depth. The main objective of the search for biologically relevant gases, like the rover is to find evidence of past or present methane. life, thanks to sample analysis drilled from the DREAMS (Dust Characterization, Risk Asses- ground. The Russian surface platform will sment and Environment Analyser of the Mar-

26 tian Surface) is a suite of sensors to measure meteorological parameters (pressure, temperature, humidity, wind velocity and direction, solar radiation) and of the electric field of Mars’ atmosphere next to the Martian surface. It is a collaboration of ASI and INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Naples and University of Pa- dua/CISAS. AMELIA (Atmospheric Mars Entry and Lan- ding Investigation and Analysis), will provide a model of Martian atmosphere using data collected during Schiaparelli’s descent and landing on Mars’ surface. It is a collaboration with University of Padua/CISAS. MA_MISS (Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies) is a spectrometer inside the rover’s drill, that will analyze the geological and biological evolution of the subsurface of Mars, providing the necassary context for the sample analysis. It is provided by ASI under the scientic leadership of INAF-IAPS. INRRI (Instrument for landing-Roving laser Retroreflector Investigations) is a Cube Cor- ner laser Retroreflector produced by ASI and the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Phy- sics (INFN).

27 Schiaparelli

The ExoMars landing site.

The ExoMars 2016 entry, descent, and landing demonstrator module, also known as Schiapa- relli, will touch down on Meridiani Planum, a relatively smooth, flat region on Mars, on 19 October 2016. One of the reasons for choosing this landing site was because of its relatively low elevation, which means that there is a suf- ficient thickness of atmosphere to allow Schia- parelli’s heat shield to reduce the module’s velocity and get ready to deploy its parachute. The final firing of its thrusters will ensure a soft and controlled landing.

28 29 Gaia

A general description is given in Commission E.

JUICE

JUICE mission will explore the Jupiter system with particular emphasis to the planet’s moons Ganymede,Callisto and Europa. Italy contributes with four PI instruments.

JUICE is the first Large-class mission in ESA’s struments that includes cameras and spectro- Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme and it is meters, a laser altimeter, an ice-penetrating planned for launch in 2022 and arrival at Jupi- radar, a magnetometer, plasma and particle ter in 2030. It will spend at least three years monitors, radio science hardware. making detailed observations of the biggest The Italian contribution to JUICE is relevant planet in the Solar System and three of its lar- for the payload, in particular for the came- gest moons, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. ra (JANUS), the spectrometer (MAJIS), the These moons are thought to harbour vast wa- ice-penetrating radar (RIME) and the radio ter oceans beneath their icy surfaces and JUI- science experiments (3GM). The mission has CE will map their surfaces, sound their inte- been adopted by ESA at the end of 2014 and riors and assess their potential for hosting life the program is currently in phase B2, toward in their oceans. the preliminary design review attended in the JUICE will have on board a complement of in- next months.

30 Mars Express

Mars Express is a space exploration mission being conducted by the European Space Agency (ESA) at Mars. Italy participates in five of the seven scientific experiments: the PFS spectrometer, the MARSIS radar, the OMEGA imaging spectrometer, the ASPERA plasma instrument and the HRSC camera.

Mars Express is a space exploration mission confirmed by the Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter being conducted by ESA. Launched in 2003, mission, this could indicate geological proces- Mars Express is still exploring the planet ses that are still active today, or even active bio- Mars, and was the first planetary mission at- chemical processes. PFS also produced tempe- tempted by the agency. In addition to global rature maps from the surface up to an altitude studies of the surface, subsurface and atmo- of about 50 km. sphere of Mars with unprecedented spatial and The subsurface sounding radar (MARSIS) spectral resolution, the unifying theme of the identified the presence of water-ice deposits Mars Express mission is the search for water underground and revealed the fine layering of in its various states, everywhere on the planet, polar deposits. The radar has also been pro- using different remote sensing techniques with bing the upper atmospheric layer (the iono- each of its seven instruments. The exploration sphere) and shown interesting structures as- of the martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, is sociated with localised magnetic fields in the a secondary objective of the mission, achieved Martian crust, which originate near the surface via multiple flybys of Phobos about every five of Mars. months. The Infrared Mineralogical Mapping Spectro- Italy provided or participates in five of the se- meter (OMEGA) has provided unprecedented ven scientific experiments: the PFS spectrome- maps of water-ice and carbon dioxide-ice in ter, the MARSIS radar, the OMEGA imaging the polar regions. It also determined that the spectrometer, the ASPERA plasma instrument presence of phyllosilicates in some areas of and the HRSC camera. The first two experi- the surface is a sign that abundant liquid water ments have been developed under Italian lea- existed in the early history of Mars. dership, OMEGA and ASPERA see a signifi- The Energetic Atoms Analyser (ASPERA) has cant Italian contribution both in hardware and identified solar wind scavenging of the upper science, while participation in HRSC is solely atmospheric layers as one of the main culprits scientific. of atmospheric degassing and escape. The Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) The High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) has made the most complete map to date of has shown very young ages for both glacial and the chemical composition of the atmosphere, volcanic processes, from hundreds of thou- indicating the possible presence of methane. If sands to a few million years old, respectively.

31 MRO

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a NASA planetary mission carrying SHARAD, an Italian low-frequency radar that can probe the Martian subsurface to depths of up to 1 km to detect ice or water.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a NASA planetary mission that aims to determine whether life ever arose on Mars, to characterize the climate and geology of the planet, and to prepare for human exploration. The payload consists of six scientific instruments to study the atmosphere, surface and subsurface from orbit. The probe was launched in Au- gust 2005 and commenced operations at Mars in early 2006. The mission has been extended well past its original intended lifetime, and is expected to continue at least until 2017. ASI provided the SHARAD facility instrument, a low-frequency radar that can probe the Mar- tian subsurface to depths of up to 1 km to detect the presence of ice or water.

32 Rosetta

Rosetta is the ESA cornerstone mission devoted to study the origin of our Solar System closely following the comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Launched in 2004 the mission will end on September 2016. Italy is participating to several instruments: the imaging spectrometer VIRTIS, the camera OSIRIS, the dust analyzer GIADA and SD2, the driller on-board the lander.

Rosetta, a cornerstone ESA mission, has been of surface temperature. OSIRIS is a camera sy- launched on March 2, 2004 and is now orbi- stem operating in the near ultraviolet, visible ting the comet 67P/ Churyumov-Gerasimen- and near infrared range. It is composed by two ko. The comet has been reached on 6 August independent cameras, wide angle and narrow 2014, after two successful fly-bys with the angle, and the wide angle camera has been bu- asteroids Steins (2008) and Lutetia (2010). On ilt under the responsibility of the University 12 November 2014, Rosetta’s lander Philae, a of Padua/CISAS. The dust analyzer GIADA, joint realization by DLR-CNES-ASI aimed at devoted to the study of the dust in the coma, the detailed in-situ analysis, was deployed to has been built by the Parthenope University the surface. Rosetta has been following and (Naples) and INAF-Astronomical Observatory studying the comet through perihelion (Au- of Naples and is managed by INAF-IAPS. gust 2015) with its remote sensing and in-si- SD2, the driller and sample retriever on-board tu instruments and will continue until the end the lander Philae, has been built by the Poli- of the extended mission, the 30th September tecnico di Milano. The italian instruments are 2016. Italy is contributing or participating to providing important results on the composi- various instruments. The visible and infrared tion of the surface and of the gas and dust in thermal imaging spectrometer VIRTIS, under the coma and on the physical processes acting the responsibility of INAF-IAPS, is devoted on the nucleus. to the study of the composition of the surface and the coma of the comet, and the derivation

33 34 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

35 CSES-Limadou

CSES (China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite) is a scientific mission mainly dedicated to the monitoring of perturbations in the ionosphere, and magnetosphere and the Van Allen belts due to electromagnetic phenomena and to study their correlations with seismic events. CSES will be placed at Sun-syncronous circular orbit at an altitude of 500 km.

CSES is a mission of China National Space solar physics studies, namely Coronal Mass Administration and ASI. The satellite, 3-axis Ejections (CMEs), solar flares, solar energe- attitude stabilized, is based on the Chinese tic particles (SEPs), cosmic ray modulation, CAST2000 platform. It will be placed at a 98° X-rays variation are other relevant topics that Sun-syncronous circular orbit at an altitude of can be covered by the mission as well. Italy 500 km, with the launch scheduled in the first participates with several universities and rese- half of 2017 and an expected lifetime of 5 ye- arch institutes. INAF and Italian National In- ars. The main objective of the mission is the stitute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) are directly monitoring of perturbations in the ionosphe- involved in instrumental development and test re, and magnetosphere and the Van Allen belts respectively. The High-Energy Particle De- due to electromagnetic phenomena of natural tector (HEPD), developed by the INFN and and anthropogenic origin, and to study their several Italian universities, will detect high correlations with seismic events. Furthermore, energy electrons, protons and light nuclei. Its CSES mission will allow to study the physical main objective is to measure the increase of properties of the ionospheric plasma at the sa- the electron and proton flux due to short-time tellite altitude, to characterize the ionosphere perturbations of Earth’s environment caused in quiet and disturbed conditions. Cosmic and by cosmic, solar, and terrestrial phenomena.

36 The energy range explored is 5-100 MeV for in collaboration between the Lanzhou Institute electrons and 15-300 MeV for protons. Four of Physics and the Italian National Institute Electric Field Detectors (EFD) have been spe- for Nuclear Physics (INFN-Rome Tor Verga- cifically designed to allow the monitoring of ta) and INAF-IAPS. Two versions of EFD electromagnetic fields (from DC to 3.5 MHz) with different electronics have been developed for the study of ionospheric disturbances pos- by Chinese and Italian teams and their functio- sibly related to seismic activity and earthqua- nalities compared one each other and tested at ke preparation mechanisms. In particular, the the Plasma Chamber at INAF-IAPS as well as mission aims at analyzing the temporal corre- the Plasma Analyzer and Langmuir probes, in lation between seismic events and the occuren- order to check their sensitivity in detecting the ce of electromagnetic perturbations. The en- ionospheric plasma parameters. vironmental plasma parameters, including ion density, ion temperature, ion drift velocity, ion composition and ion density fluctuation, will be monitored by the CSES Plasma Analyser (PA) and by two Langmuir probes (Lp) developed by CSSAR-CAS. The EFDs have been designed

37 DUSTER

DUSTER (Dust in the Upper Stratosphere Tracking Experiment and Retrieval) is aimed at uncontaminated collection, retrieval and laboratory analysis of stratospheric solid aerosol particles from the upper stratosphere. The approach implies: in-situ particles collection and store in controlled conditions; sample recovering; and laboratory analyses.

DUSTER is a multinational project aimed at med from the Stratospheric Base in Svalbard collection and retrieval of solid micron-sub- Islands, Norway in June 2008 and July 2009, micron dust from upper stratosphere (altitu- supported by ASI and a third flight was per- de >30km). Dust particles are collected and formed in 2011 from Kiruna, Sweden, thanks analysed in laboratory by state of the art to CNES. The National Antarctic Research analytical techniques for a physico-chemical Project (PNRA) funded a DUSTER launch characterization and disentanglement of the campaign from Antarctica, which will take terrestrial and extra-terrestrial component. place at the end of 2016. Compositions, mor- DUSTER results are related with planeto- phologies and structure of the analysed par- logy, astrophysics and atmospheric physics. ticles, which were randomly collected in the Solid and condensed sub-micrometre par- upper Stratosphere during the 2008 and 2011 ticles present in the Stratosphere are a mix flights, are consistent with ultra-rapid, non-e- of terrestrial and extra-terrestrial dust. The quilibrium processes and fragmentation of extra-terrestrial component is highly repre- extra-terrestrial bolides entering the Earth sented in the upper Stratosphere while vol- atmosphere. Thanks to DUSTER for the first canic eject residues are more prevalent than time extra-terrestrial dust from these sour- in lower Stratosphere. The main and most ces has been intercepted while settling in the ambitious goal is the collection and characte- Earth’s Stratosphere. The project has been rization of Solar System debris particles <3 supported by ASI, PNRA, CNES, the Italian microns not sampled by the stratospheric air- Ministry of the Environment, the Italian Mi- craft/NASA collection facility. In addition, no nistry of Instruction, Research and Univer- other instrument/facility does currently sam- sity, the Foreign Ministry and Regione Cam- ple the upper stratosphere. DUSTER provi- pania. DUSTER could become a permanent des a record of the amount of solid aerosols, facility for extra-terrestrial dust collection their size distribution, shapes and chemical in the upper Stratosphere. The Italian man properties in the upper stratosphere, for par- power contribution is assured by INAF-IAPS ticles down to about 0.5 micron in size. Two and Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, fully successful DUSTER flights were perfor- Parthenope University (Napoli).

38 JUNO

Juno’s goals are to understand the evolution of Jupiter, to look for a solid core, to map its magnetic field, to measure water and ammonia in the planet’s deep atmosphere and to observe its auroras.

JUNO is a NASA New Frontiers mission devoted to an in-depth study of Jupiter, launched in 2011. JUNO scientific objectives are the study of the planet’s magnetosphere, its radiation environment and the electromagnetic fields, the auroras, the atmospheric composition and structure, the gravitational field and the planet interior. Italy is participating with two instruments funded by ASI: JIRAM led by INAF-IAPS and KaT, proposed by a team led by the University La Sapienza in Rome. JIRAM (Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper) is an imager and a spectrometer able to acquire images and spectra in the range of wavelengths 2-5 μm to study infrared auroras and the planet’s atmosphere. KaT (Ka- Band Translator) is the K-Band transponder dedicated of the Gravity Science experiment.

39 Jupiter

Packing up JUNO mission.

Juno will let us take a giant step forward in our understanding of how giant planets form and the role these titans played in putting together the rest of the solar system.

40 41 42 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

43 ASPIICS CLUSTER

The ASPIICS coronagraph is the guest The first space mission composed by payload of the ESA Proba-3 techno- a fleet of four S/C which provided logical mission. ASPIICS is formed by in situ tridimensional measurements two spacecraft in flight formation and permitting significant advance in the is developed by a European consortium knowledge of fundamental space pla- including ASI. sma processes.

ASPIICS is a coronagraph imaging the solar CLUSTER is an ESA Horizon 2000 corner- corona out to 3 solar radii, under development stone mission launched in 2000 and extended for ESA Proba-3 technological mission, whi- until 31 December 2018 (subject to a mid- ch is devoted to prove high-precision forma- term review in 2016). CLUSTER comprises tion-flight technologies. A pair of satellites four spacecraft, flying in a tetrahedral forma- will fly together maintaining a fixed configu- tion, which carry an identical set of instru- ration as a large rigid structure in space. The ments for the in situ measurements of char- two satellites will form a 150-m long solar ged particle and fields. Italy, in the framework coronagraph to study the Sun’s faint corona of an international collaboration, contributed closer to the solar limb than has ever before to the development of the mechanics and the been achieved from space in visible light. ASI onboard SW of the Cluster Ion Spectrome- and INAF, part of a large European consor- try (CIS) experiment. CLUSTER scientific tium, are responsible for coronagraphic cali- data analysis in Italy pertains to the study of brations, optimization of the occulter and for fundamental plasma processes as magnetic contributing the spectral filters. The launch is reconnection and turbulence occurring in the foreseen in 2019. key regions of the magnetosphere.

44 BepiColombo

A general description is given in Com- mission B.

Hinode SCORE

Hinode is a Japanese mission obser- Prototype of the Solar Orbiter corona- ving the Sun in the optical, EUV and graph Metis, was successfully launched X-ray band. Italy has worked on the in 2009 as part of the NASA suborbi- instrument calibration and studied the tal flight program HERSCHEL. Se- magnetic photosphere and the hot and cond flight foreseen in 2017. dynamic corona.

Hinode is a JAXA solar mission (Japan), with SCORE, prototype of the Solar Orbiter coro- USA and UK contributions, devoted to study nagraph Metis, was successfully launched in a solar activity, since 2006. A set of instrumen- suborbital flight in 2009 from the White Sands ts in the optical (SOT), EUV (EIS) and X-ray Missile Range, US. SCORE is part of the HER- band (XRT) are on-board Hinode. INAF has SCHEL program approved by NASA and led by been directly involved in the calibration of the Naval Research Laboratory, US. Its second the XRT telescope, with its XACT/OAPA la- flight, in 2017, is in preparation. SCORE is the boratories. Hinode scientific data analysis in first multi-band coronagraph obtaining simul- Italy pertains to the study of the fine magne- taneous images of the solar corona in polarized tic dynamics and structure of the active pho- visible light and in the UV and EUV Ly alpha li- tosphere (SOT), of the eruptions and holes, nes of H and He, respectively. In the 2009 flight, the hot intermittent components and the fine the first maps in Helium emission and abundan- thermal structure of the corona (EIS, XRT). ce of the solar corona have been obtained. SCO- The transit of Venus observed also with the RE, an INAF-ASI instrument, has been deve- XRT has been used to probe the upper plane- loped by INAF-Astronomical Observatory of tary atmosphere. Turin and by the University of Firenze.

45 SOHO

SOHO is an ESA-NASA solar mission studying the Sun, from its interior to the solar wind. Italy contributed with the spectrometer of the UVCS coronagraph and hosts SOLAR, one of SOHO data archives.

The solar observatory SOHO, an ESA-NASA mission launched in 1995, monitors the Sun from L1 since 1996 with twelve instruments, in part still operative. The SOHO UltraVio- let Coronagraph Spectrometer, UVCS, a NA- SA-ASI collaboration, flawlessly operated until 2012. The Italian solar physics community was responsible for the development of the UVCS spectrometer and hosts the SOHO data archive, SOLAR. UV spectroscopy of the outer corona was first introduced with UVCS, leading to fundamental discoveries on energy depo- sition in the coronal wind and on solar eruptions. Data are at present actively studied also in view of developing planning tools for Solar Orbiter and for space weather forecast.

46 Solar Orbiter

Selected as the Cosmic Vision M1 mission, Solar Orbiter is ESA’s primary contribution to ILWS. It will contribute to reveal how the Sun creates and drives the heliosphere.

Solar Orbiter (European Space Agency) pro- emission of the solar corona and diagnose, vides the unique opportunity to discover the with unprecedented temporal coverage and fundamental links between the magnetized so- spatial sampling element (down to about 4000 lar atmosphere and the dynamics of the solar km), the structure and dynamics of the full co- wind that, ultimately, is the source of space rona in the range from 1.6 to 3.0 solar radii at weather. In October 2011, Solar Orbiter was minimum perihelion (0.28 AU), and from 2.8 to selected as the Cosmic Vision M1 mission and 5.5 solar radii at 0.5 AU. This region is crucial entered the implementation phase in 2012 to be in linking the solar atmosphere phenomena to launched in October 2018. The Solar Orbiter their evolution in the inner heliosphere, and unique mission profile allows the investigation the study of its properties is very important in of the Sun at very high spatial resolution by meeting the Solar Orbiter fundamental science taking advantage of a close-by vantage point goals. at a perihelion of 0.28 AU and of an orbital The scientific payload of Solar Orbiter also inclination exceeding 30°, towards the end of includes Solar Wind Analyser (SWA), a pla- the mission, which will allow to observe the sma analyser suite with 4 sensors and a sin- polar regions from above. These observations gle, common Detector Processing Unit (DPU). from remote, together with the measurements SWA will measure particle velocity distribu- provided by the in-situ instruments will repre- tion functions of protons, helium, minor ions sent the necessary ingredients to unravel the and electrons of the solar wind with unprece- mechanisms at the basis of generation and he- dented sampling time resolution, of the order ating of the solar corona. of the proton scales.. SWA has an Italian Co- The scientific payload includes the Metis coro- PIship (INAF-IAPS), responsible for realizing nagraph, consisting in a coronal imager wor- the common DPU under ASI contract. king in both polarized VL and UV light. This There is also a participation of the group coronagraph has an Italian PIship (INAF-A- of Genoa (University, CNR/SPIN) to the stronomical Observatory of Turin) and is re- Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays alized in Italy under ASI contract. Germany (also supported by ASI). The italian contribu- (MPS) and Czech Republic (Academy of Scien- tion (CoIship) consists in the flight software ces) provide a HW contribution. Metis can si- for flare detection and real-time science data multaneously image the visible and ultraviolet analysis.

47 STEREO

Two space-based observatories, one ahe- ad of Earth in its orbit, the other trai- ling behind. Their goal is to study the structure and evolution of solar storms.

STEREO has been launched in 2006. STEREO consists of two spacecraft. They separate from earth in opposite directions at a rate of 22° per year, in order to obtain a stereoscopic view of the solar atmosphere. The two spacecraft are equipped with the same set of instruments for remote sensing and in situ observations of the Sun and of the heliosphere. The Italian solar physics community is involved in the analysis of data from the instruments SWAVES and IMPACT, finalized to the investigation of turbulence in the solar wind and particle acceleration, and from the instruments COR2 and HI, designed to study the solar wind acceleration with correlation tracking techniques and the physics of coronal mass ejections.

48 THOR

Turbulence Heating ObserveR is a candidate for the ESA’s next M4 mission. It is the first dedicated mission to solve the fundamental question of turbulent energy dissipation and particle energization in space plasmas, scientific subjects of great relevance for astrophysical and laboratory plasmas as well.

The Universe is permeated by hot, turbulent te and turbulent magnetized plasmas: solar magnetized plasmas where particles are hea- wind, Earth’s bow shock and interplanetary ted and accelerated as a result of energy dis- shocks, and compressed solar wind regions sipation in turbulent environments. THOR downstream of shocks. Moreover, such mea- aims to unveil plasma physics at kinetic sca- surements will be complemented with incre- les, where most of the irreversible dissipa- asingly extreme sophisticated numerical sition of energy within turbulent fluctuations mulations. The Italian contribution to THOR occurs. This would be a leap forward in the is important, with the PI ship of the central comprehension of fundamental plasma pro- processing unit, which will provide a single cesses with applications to very different interface to the spacecraft as well as comman- astrophysical, solar system and laboratory ding and data handling for all the four particle plasma environments. This objective can be instruments on board THOR, with the gui- reached thanks to unprecedented high time dance of the team for the crucial numerical resolution and high accuracy particle and support and with valuable contribution to the fields in situ measurements provided by the THOR science. The mission is scheduled for THOR payload in the closest available dilu- launch in 2026.

49 Sun

Exploring Sun-Heliosphere Connection.

The heliosphere represents a uniquely accessible domain of space, where fundamental physical processes common to solar, astrophysical and laboratory plasmas can be studied under conditions impossible to reproduce on Earth and unfeasible to observe from astronomical distances.

50 51 52 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

53 AGILE Astrosat

An X-ray and Gamma ray astrono- Reopen a window onto X-ray fast ti- mical satellite of the Italian Space ming, with an interactive software de- Agency. veloped by INAF.

AGILE is an ASI space mission dedicated to Astrosat was launched on 2015 September 28 high-energy astrophysics. The main goal is the into a LEO. It carries on board two 38-cm opti- simultaneous detection of hard X-ray and gam- cal/UV telescopes, an array of 3 proportional ma-ray cosmic radiation in the energy bands counters (3-80 keV, 8000 cm2 @ 10 keV), a soft 18-60 keV and 30 MeV - 30 GeV with optimal X-ray telescope (0.3-8 keV, 120 cm2 @ 1 keV), imaging and timing capability. The AGILE a CZTI coded-mask imager (10-150 keV, 480 satellite was launched on April 23, 2007 from cm2) and an All-Sky monitor. It is operated as Sriharikota (India). It has been collecting crucial an observatory. An open AO for 10% of obser- astrophysical data since then, and it contributed ving time will be released in 2019, increased to to the study of Galactic and extragalactic co- 20% the next year. The Italian participation is smic sources. We mention here the discovery of through the software for timing analysis GHA- very intense gamma-ray emission from a class TS, developed at INAF-Astronomical Obser- of active blazars (e.g., 3C 454.3), the detection vatory of Bologna, for the analysis of bright of pulsars and pulsar wind nebulae, the disco- X-ray sources. One Italian scientist is part of very of extreme acceleration in the microqua- an instrument team and currently collabora- sars Cygnus X-3 and Cygnus X-1, the direct tion projects with INAF-Astronomical Obser- evidence for hadronic cosmic-ray acceleration vatory of Bologna scientists are under way. in several Supernova Remnants, the detection of several GRBs as well as the detection at the highest energies of Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs). Particular care is devoted to multifrequency programs, and the AGILE gamma- ray observations have been systematically linked and interpreted in synergy with radio, optical, X-ray and TeV results.

54 Athena CALET

Most pressing questions in Astrophy- In search for possible signatures of sics for the late 2020s can uniquely be dark matter in the spectra of electrons addressed with X-ray observations. and gamma rays.

Athena is an X-ray observatory to be proposed The CALorimetric Electron Telescope reached as a large mission for ESA science program. It is the ISS in August 2015 starting an initial 5 year conceived to answer some of the most pressing period of data taking on the JEM-EF exposu- questions in Astrophysics for the late 2020s that re facility. CALET is a mission of the Japane- can uniquely be addressed with X-ray observa- se Aerospace Agency (JAXA) in collaboration tions. Athena will transform our understanding with ASI and NASA. CALET main science of two major components of the Cosmos. The objective is the exploration of the electron Hot Universe: the bulk of visible matter in the spectrum above 1 TeV whose shape might re- Universe comprises hot gas which can only be veal the presence of nearby acceleration sour- accessed via space-based facilities operating in ces at kpc distance from Earth. With excellent the X-ray band. Revealing this gas and relating energy resolution, proton rejection capability its physical properties and evolution to the co- and low background contamination, CALET smological large-scale structure and to the cool will search for possible signatures of dark mat- components in galaxies and stars, is essential if ter in the spectra of electrons and gamma rays. we want to have a complete picture of our Uni- Deviation from a simple power-law in proton verse. The Energetic Universe: accretion onto and He spectra will be studied with high pre- black holes is one of the major astrophysical cision in the region of a few hundred GeV and energy generation processes, and its influence extended to the multi-TeV region and to hea- via cosmic feedback is profound and widespre- vier nuclei. Energy spectra, relative abundan- ad. X-ray observations provide unique informa- ces and secondary-to-primary ratios of cosmic tion about the physics of black hole growth and nuclei from proton to iron will be measured. the causes and effects of the subsequent energy Heavier elements up to Z=40 will be studied. output, as well as revealing where in the Uni- To date, several gamma-ray transients have verse black hole accretion is occurring and how been detected by a dedicated Gamma-ray Burst it evolves to the highest redshifts. Monitor (GBM).

55 Chandra

Sophisticated telescope specially designed to detect X-ray emission from very hot regions of the Universe such as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes.

The Chandra X-ray observatory has been launched July 23, 1999. Since the launch, scientists all over the world took advantage of the excellent imaging capabilities of the observatory. These were used perform deep pencil beam surveys in order to disentangle the origin of the X-ray background. Moreover, Chandra allowed to separate close-by double AGN in merging galaxies and to detail AGN eclipses due to gas and dust clouds in close AGN. Chan- dra was also used to study galaxy clusters and, in particular, the interactions between the central giant galaxy and the intra-cluster medium. The excellent capabilities of Chandra were fundamental to study celestial objects in the crowded fields of the Milky Way. In particular, Chandra gave a fundamental contribution in the study of the present and past activity of the nucleus of our own Galaxy. The INAF-A- stronomical Observatory of Palermo has been involved in the instrumental development and calibration of the filters of the High Resolu- tion Camera on board Chandra.

56 CHEOPS COrE++

The first Small mission in ESA Co- COrE++ is a medium-class space mis- smic Vision 2015-25 program, selected sion aimed at a precision measurement for a launch in 2018. Primary goal: of the B-modes in CMB polarization characterizing transiting exoplanets produced by the cosmological inflation on known bright and nearby host stars. process.

CHEOPS is dedicated to the determination of COrE++ (Cosmic Origins Explorer ++) is the internal structure of small-size transiting a medium-class mission, able to carry out planets by means of ultrahigh precision photo- the final measurement of the cosmological metry of their parent stars. It will provide the B-mode signal in CMB polarization. The te- targets to the future ground (e.g. E-ELT) and lescope (1.5m class) is passively cooled, and space-based (e.g. JWST) facilities, that will be feeds a wide focal plane including >2000 po- used to characterize the exoplanet atmosphe- larization sensitive detectors operating at res. CHEOPS is a joint ESA-Switzerland mis- 0.1K and covering >15 bands in the 60 to sion, with important contributions from Italy 600 GHz range. and other ESA member states. Funded by ASI, Working in L2, such a mission can measure the italian contribution to the payload is the accurately the cosmological B-modes signal, integration and testing of the telescope, whi- extracting it from overwhelming polarized th the optical parts designed and produced in foregrounds and lensing B-modes. The tar- Italy, the preparation of the scientific program get sensivivity for the tensor to scalar ratio is and the realization of the mirror archive for 4x10-4 at 68% C.L.. COrE++ will be submit- the scientific data. CHEOPS in Italy is made by ted for the M5 call, and inherits the activities the collaborative efforts of INAF (Catania and carried out for the previous ESA calls (B-pol, Padua), University of Padua, and ASI. COrE, PRISM, COrE+).

57 CoRoT

CoRoT was a space mission devoted to the study of the variability with time of stars brightness, with an extremely high accuracy (100 times better than from the ground), for very long durations (up to 150 days) and with a very high duty cycle (more than 90%).

The CoRoT (COnvection, ROtation and pla- nement of our knowledge in several classes netary Transits) satellite was devoted to the of variable stars, like Cepheids, RR Lyr, and study of stellar interiors through the aste- pulsating variables in binaries. After several roseismology and to the discovery of new preparatory works in different domains, the planetary systems with the transit method. Italian scientific community (Milan, Catania, Launched on December 27th, 2006, CoRoT Rome, Naples, Palermo) was responsible of observed 171 bright (V<9.5 mag) and nearby the ground-based spectroscopic observations stars in the asteroseismic channel and about for the asteroseismic program. Three conse- 160,000 faint (V>10.5 mag) in the exoplane- cutive Large Programmes were approved by tary channel. Operations ended in November ESO (one with FEROS at the 2.2m MPI te- 2012 after a second dramatic failure. In astero- lescope, two with HARPS at the 3.6m ESO seismology, CoRoT pionereed the systematic telescope), thus observing the targets simul- detection of solar-like oscillations in cool star, taneously in photomtetry from space and in similar to our Sun, and in red giants, opening spectroscopy from ground. Moreover, several the possibility to perform galactic archaelo- programs based on the Additional Science gy. CoRoT also discovered the first terrestial were led by Italian Scientists (RR Lyr and size, rocky planet CoRoT 7b. The continuous Cepheid variables, pulsating stars in binaries, observations up to 150 days allowed the refi- rotational variables).

58 59 DAMPE Euclid

In a sun-synchronous orbit at the altitude M2 ESA mission devoted to map dark of 500 km. Scientific payload: a space content of the universe using two comple- telescope for high energy gamma-rays, mentary cosmological probes: galaxy clu- electrons and cosmic rays detection. stering and gravitational weak lensing.

The main scientific objective of DAMPE Euclid will investigate the evolution of the uni- (Dark Matter Particle Explorer) is to measu- verse during the last 10 billion years, by accura- re electrons and photons with much higher tely tracking gravitational effects on expansion energy resolution and reach than currently rate and cosmic structure growth. Tiny distor- achievable, in order to identify possible Dark tions, induced on galaxies shape by the presence Matter signatures. DAMPE is composed by a of Dark Matter alo ng the line of sight, will double layer plastic scintillator, a silicon-tun- allow gravitational field to be reconstructed gsten tracker-converter (STK), made of 6 with 3-D maps. Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations tracking double layers of silicon strip detec- and redshift-space distortions, derived from the tors with three layers of Tungsten plates for spatial distribution of galaxies as a function of photon conversion, and an imaging calori- redshift (i.e. of universe time evolution), will be meter (BGO) of about 31 radiation lengths used to study universe expansion rate. This is thickness, made up of 14 layers of Bismuth supposed to be governed by Dark Energy, whi- Germanium Oxide bars in a hodoscopic arch represents almost 75% of the matter-energy rangement. The Italian contribution, under content of the universe today. Euclid, to be lau- the leadership of the Italian National Insti- nched in 2020 to an L2 orbit, will observe more tute for Nuclear Physics (INFN-Perugia), has than 15000 square degrees of extragalactic sky been in the design and construction of the in a 6 year long mission. The Euclid Consortium STK, and is currently focused on the detector is composed of more than 120 institutes from calibration and data analysis. 14 European countries, with the participation of NASA. Italy is leading the Science Ground Segment and it is procuring instrument control and data processing units, HW and SW, for both instruments and an on-board opto-mechanical element (Grism Wheel). Italian scientists contribute to several scientific activities and two of them are members of the ESA Euclid Science Team.

60 Fermi

Fermi observes the cosmos using the highest-energy form of light. Mapping the entire sky every three hours, Fermi provides an important window into the most extreme phenomena of the universe, from gamma-ray bursts and black-hole jets to pulsars, supernova remnants and the origin of cosmic rays.

The Fermi (Gamma-ray Space Telescope) associated to active galaxies. The Italian par- mission was launched on June 11, 2008 by ticipation encompasses several contributions a Delta II rocket. Fermi is a NASA mission starting with the design, construction and ca- with a wide international collaboration from libration of the LAT tracker, performed under Italy, Japan, France, Germany and Sweden. Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics The scientific payload is composed of the (INFN) responsibility. Additional tasks such Large Area Telescope (LAT), operating in the as software development, management of the 20 MeV - >300 GeV energy range, and the Italian data archive mirror as well as scientific Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM), operating data analysis are jointly performed by INAF, in the 10 keV - 25 MeV energy range. Fermi INFN and ASI/ASDC. is operating in sky survey mode and the LAT observes the entire sky every 3 hours, providing uniform exposure on the timescale of days. The high sensitivity and nearly uniform sky coverage of the LAT make it a powerful tool to investigate the properties of all high-energy astrophysical sources. The Fermi LAT First Source Catalog lists 1451 sources detected during the first 11 months of operation by the LAT, 56 of which are identified as pulsating neutron stars while about 700 are

61 Gaia

The ESA cornerstone mission Gaia will provide a stereoscopic census of over a billion stars in our Galaxy and beyond. The positions, proper motions, radial velocities and astrophysical parameters will unravel the composition, formation, evolution and the history, both chemical as dynamical, of our Galaxy.

Gaia is a major project for the European 10 kpc. The scientific data processing is a re- astronomical community which will deeply sponsibility of the Gaia Data Processing and change our view of the Galaxy with a pre- Analysis Consortium (DPAC), an european cise and detailed stereoscopic survey of the consortium of ~450 scientists. billion brightest celestial objects (down to V Italy deep involvement in DPAC activities magnitude 20). Gaia was launched in Decem- includes contributions to astrometric veri- ber 2013 and started its 5 years all-sky scan- fication, spectrophotometric data reduction ning survey. Gaia very high-accuracy global and absolute calibration, variable and special astrometry will allow to measure the 3D po- object treatment, sources classification and sition of a star and its movement across the cross-match with external catalogues. Italy sky. Gaia will also gather spectroscopic data, is contributing with one of the six data pro- allowing the determination of the radial ve- cessing centers and provides one of the four locities for several millions of galactic stars, partner data center dedicated to Gaia data ac- and spectrophotometric data, measuring the cess and distribution which will support the astrophysical properties including luminosi- scientific data exploitation by the national ty, surface gravity, temperature and chemical community. The first Gaia Release is foreseen composition. The predicted end-of-mission by summer 2016. parallax standard errors are of the order of 9-25 μas at V=15 depending on the star color, this will provide a 10% error on distances at

62 HERSCHEL

A new window to study how the universe has evolved to become the universe we see today, and how our star the sun, our planet the earth, and we ourselves fit in.

Herschel is a cornerstone mission in the ESA science programme, dedicated to far infrared and submillimeter astronomical observations between 60-670µm. It was conceived as a Spa- ce Observatory open to the entire astronomical community and it was the largest infrared space observatory launched so far. It is now decommissioned due to end of cryogenics life.

63 Milky Way

The entire sky seen by INTEGRAL.

Based on the unique combination of its instruments, INTEGRAL has been providing astronomers with a new view of the entire sky in hard X-rays and soft gamma rays for almost 14 years. By revealing both the diffuse emission from our Galaxy, the Milky Way, and the popu- lation of individual sources that shine brightly at these energies, INTEGRAL has broadened our understanding of several classes of sources, galactic and extragalactic alike.

64 65 HST

HST is the most popular NASA/ESA joint mission, and has made some of the most dramatic discoveries in the history of astronomy.

Launched in 1990, Hubble Space Telescope has been serviced several times by the space shuttle, allowing repair and substitution of its instruments, and it is still working at its best. Its expected life is planned to last several more years, with significant overlap with JWST operations. Its current instruments are ACS, COS, STIS and WFC3. Italy has officially contributed to the development of its first instruments. Italians are among the major users of HST.

66 INTEGRAL

ESA mission launched on 2002, is still operating with the same instrument perfor- mances following an Observing Scientific Program selected on a yearly call to the community. Italy participated with IBIS and to minor extent to SPI and Jem-X. ASI and INAF support operation, calibration and scientific data analysis.

The ESA INTEGRAL mission was approved as imaging capability over a wide field of view. the 2nd medium size ESA project of the Hori- This technique is a key feature of INTEGRAL zon 2000 Scientific Program in April 1993 and to provide simultaneous images of the whole successfully launched from Baikonur (Kazakh- field observed and detection and location of all stan) on 17 October, 2002. INTEGRAL is an the sources. INTEGRAL provides almost an observatory type mission and its science paylo- order of magnitude improved performance in ad is designed for the imaging and spectroscopy spectroscopy and imaging compared to earlier of persistent and transient cosmic sources in high energy observatories. After more than 13 the 10-10000 keV band. There are two main years of operation, INTEGRAL has detected instruments detecting gamma rays: the imager more than 1000 high energy emitters: compact (IBIS) gives the sharpest gamma-ray images objects in binary systems, galactic and extraga- yet seen from astronomical targets; meanwhi- lactic black holes, pulsars, cataclysmic variables le the spectrometer (SPI) precisely measures and many transient sources which shine once in Gamma-ray energies. The program is led by a while in the sky. ESA, with the instrument complement and the Most of the INTEGRAL sources are new Scientific Data Centre (based in Geneva) provi- detections at these high energies and a good ded by five different European consortia with a fraction of them still remain of unknown na- large contribution from ASI and INAF Institu- ture. Because of the high quality scientific re- tes (IAPS, IASF Milan, Bologna and Palermo) sults the operative life of the mission has been especially for IBIS and to a minor extent for SPI extended at least up to the end of 2016 with and Jem-X. Contributions were also provided by an extension till 2018 under ESA decision. The Russia, for the Proton launcher, and by the USA most recent results are the detection of the 56Ni which made available a NASA ground station. and 56Co decay gamma-ray line of the type Ia Besides the two main instruments INTEGRAL SN2014J and the detection of a possible tran- offers substantial monitoring capability in the sient line at 511 keV in V404 Cyg. It also pro- X-ray range, from 3 to 30 keV, and in the opti- vided for the first time stringent upper limit on cal V band at 550 nm. In view of the impossi- direct gamma-ray from the merger of the two bility of focusing high energy X-rays and soft Black Holes named GW150914, from which gamma-rays, the three high energy instruments Gravitational Waves has been detected for the are operated with a coded mask to provide good first time by the LIGO/VIRGO experiment.

67 JWST LSPE

The James Webb Space Telescope is The LSPE is a mm-wave polarimeter an infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter aboard of a stratospheric balloon, ai- primary mirror to be launched in Oc- med at measuring the polarization of tober 2018. It will be the premier ob- the Cosmic Microwave Background at servatory of the next decade, serving large angular scales during a long du- thousands of astronomers worldwide. ration flight in the Arctic winter.

JWST will be equipped with 4 instruments: Gravitational waves produced during infla- the Near-Infrared Camera, provided by the tion, a split-second after the big-bang, induce University of Arizona, NIRSpec, provided by linear polarization in the CMB (both E-mo- ESA with components provided by NASA/ des and B-modes). The signal from B-mo- GSFC, MIRI, provided by a European Consor- des is extremely small, <0.1 mK rms and is tium with ESA and by JPL, and FGS/NIRISS, mainly at large angular scales. LSPE targets provided by CSA. With its four main science are the reionization bump and the recombi- themes, 1) First Light and Reionization, 2) As- nation bump in the angular power spectrum sembly of Galaxies, 3) Birth of Stars and Pro- of B-modes. The LSPE has two polarimeters: to-planetary Systems, 4) Planets and Origins SWIPE (with multi-mode bolometers and a of Life, JWST will study every phase in the rotating HWP) and STRIP (with coherent history of our Universe. Unfortunately, Italy radiometers) covering the 40-250 GHz range is not officially contributing to JWST, as a con- with 5 channels, with an angular resolution sequence of a decision by ASI many years ago. of 1.3 deg FWHM and a combined sensitivity Italians are participating to the mission, either of 20 mK arcmin per flight. It is funded by as ESA members or because of their individual ASI and Italian National Institute for Nuclear role in international consortia and committees. Physics (INFN) in Italy. Official steps to let Italy officially contribute to the mission would be highly desirable.

68 NuStar OLIMPO

The NuSTAR mission is the first OLIMPO is a balloon-borne, 2.6m hard X-ray focusing telescope to orbit aperture telescope measuring the ani- Earth. It complements other missions sotropy of the mm/submm sky and such as XMM, Chandra, INTE- its spectrum. It will be flown with a GRAL and Swift exploring the ener- long duration circumpolar flight in getic Universe. the Arctic.

The NuSTAR mission is a NASA Explorer OLIMPO is a balloon-borne telescope for the launched in 2012: is the first hard X-ray fo- measurement of the Cosmic Microwave Back- cusing satellite. Primary objectives include: ground and Cosmic Infrared Background ani- the census of black hole and stellar com- sotropy, with arcmin resolution. The instru- pact objects at different scales; the study of ment uses a Differential Fourier Transform relativistic jets in the most active galaxies; Spectrometer (DFTS) and 4 cryogenic detec- the map of radioactive material in Super- tor arrays to obtain spectral capabilities wi- nova remnants to understand the explosion thin 4 wide bands around 140, 220, 340, 480 and nucleosynthesis mechanisms. It can ef- GHz. The DFTS rejects the common-mode ficiently work in synergy with other X-ray signal with high efficiency, extracting tiny missions as well as Spitzer and HST. The spectral anisotropies from an overwhelming Italian contribution includes: the provision background. In a long-duration flight orga- of ASI ground station in Malindi (Kenya), nized by ASI from Svalbard islands, the in- data reduction software support and archi- strument will map >100 sky areas, including val storage at the ASI Science Data Center clusters of galaxies (spectroscopic study of (ASDC), contribution to the project with a the SZ), and blank areas (spectral-spatial ani- team of INAF scientists that collaborates to sotropy). the primary scientific mission goals.

69 PAMELA

A satellite-borne experiment designed to study the charged component of the cosmic radiation, with particular emphasis on antiparticles. PAMELA consists of a magnetic spectrometer, an electromagnetic calorimeter, a time-of-flight system, an anticoincidence system, a shower tail catcher scintillator and a neutron detector.

It was the 15th of June of 2006 when the PA- effects as well as charge sign dependence. PA- MELA satellite-borne experiment was launched MELA measurement of the energy spectra du- from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. ring solar energetic particle events fills the exi- Since then, PAMELA (Payload for Antimat- sting energy gap between the highest energy ter Matter and Light-nuclei Astrophysics) has particles measured in space and the ground-ba- been making high-precision measurements of sed domain. Finally, by sampling the particle the charged component of the cosmic radiation radiation in different regions of the magneto- opening a new era of precision studies in cosmic sphere, PAMELA data provide a detailed study rays. The measured antiparticle component of of the Earth magnetosphere. the cosmic radiation shows features that can be interpreted in terms of dark matter annihilation or pulsar contribution. The measurements of the energy spectra of protons, electrons, helium and light nuclei and their isotopes challenge our basic vision of the mechanisms of production, acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays in the galaxy. The study of the ten-year time dependence of the various components of the cosmic radiations clearly shows solar modulation

70 Planck PLATO

A new map of the Cosmic Microwave Selected by ESA for a 2024 launch, Background anisotropies, covering almost PLATO will search for planet transits the all sky, to provide a snapshot of the and asteroseismological measurement early Universe. of mass and age of hosting stars.

Planck is an ESA Cosmic Vision programme PLATO (PLAnet Transit and stellar Oscilla- cryogenic mission dedicated to provide a map tions) is the next generation exoplanet finder, of the Cosmic Microwave Background aniso- the third medium-class mission in ESA’s Co- tropies with improved sensitivities and angu- smic Vision programme. lar resolution. The satellite was equipped with In the current plans, PLATO will obtain li- two sets of bolometers detectors. The LFI ght curves of up to one million bright dwarfs working in the range 27-77 GHz and the HFI and subgiants, covering up to half of the sky, working from 83 GHz up to 1 THz. It is now with almost continuous coverage for up to 3 decommissioned due to end of cryogenics life. years. Main purpose is the search for exoplanets, including rocky Earths and SuperEarths, and obtain seismic measurement of radii (~3% error), masses (~10% error), and ages (10% error) of hosting stars. PLATO will set the basis for the statistical study of exoplanet and exoplanet system bulk properties, their dependence on the environment, and how they evolve with age. PLATO is the necessary preparatory mission for target selection for following atmosphere studies.

71 SPICA

Observations in the mid and far infrared with sensitivity never reached to date, up to two orders of magnitude better than those of ESA Herschel’s instruments.

SPICA (Space Infrared telescope for Cosmolo- gy and Astrophysics) is the natural successor to Herschel, with a more compact mirror with a 2.5m diameter, but more sensitive because actively cooled to <6K through cryocoolers, with the most technologically advanced instruments at the focal plane that will enable imaging and spectroscopy from the mid to the far infrared (12-230μm) to never reached sensitivity. The SPICA observations will allow the advancement of knowledge in different fields of astrophysics, the search for the first stars born in the universe through the detection of molecular hydrogen emission lines, the discovery of protoplanetary disks around stars, the study of early galaxies evolution, the interstellar medium and chemi- stry of gas and dust in the galaxy and in local galaxies, up to the spectroscopic study of extra- solar planets and those of the solar system. The European participation in the SPICA mission is lead by the SRON coordinating a consortium of European institutes, including the INAF-IAPS.

72 Swift XMM-Newton

NASA mission with a strong contribu- Detail the physical conditions in the star tion from Italy and UK. It is characte- forming regions and on the mechanisms rized by multiband good sensitivity and acting for the production of X-rays in fast autonomous repointing. the magnetosphere of planets.

Swift is a collaborative MIDEX NASA Mis- XMM-Newton was the second cornerstone of sion with Italy and the UK. The Swift satel- the Horizon 2000 program of the ESA. It was lite, launched on November 2004, has onbo- launched on December 10th, 1999 and it is still ard three instruments for the observation operating perfectly. Taking advantage of its of the Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB): the Burst high trough-put, spectral and timing capabili- Alert Telescope (BAT), the X-Ray Telescope ties, XMM-Newton allowed to collect probes (XRT) and the Ultraviolet/Optical Telesco- of the theory of relativity in AGN and compact pe (UVOT). Swift detects ~90 GRBs a year Galactic objects. AGN taxonomy and popula- and since its launch it revolutionized our tion across cosmic time has been studied using knowledge of the field. The observing plan XMM-Newton to survey portions of the sky. It has evolved with time and now, although Swi- was also fundamental to study galaxy clusters ft continues to hunt for GRBs, the majority and in particular to study their physics and the of the time is spent on target of opportuni- effects induced by the “dark matter”. Finally, ty (TOO) observations, covering all kind of XMM-Newton has been successfully operated sources, from comets to high redshift quasars. to detail the physical conditions in the star for- On average, four TOOs a day are performed. ming regions and on the mechanisms acting for Thanks to its fast and autonomous repointing the production of X- rays in the magnetosphere capability and good sensitivity in the X-ray of planets. Thanks to the coordinated involve- and optical/UV bands, Swift is also heavily ment of its research structures IASF-Milan, involved in the search of the electromagne- IASF-Bologna and INAF-Astronomical Obser- tic counterparts of gravitational wave sour- vatory of Palermo is contributing to the reali- ces. Italy provides the ASI ground station zation of the three EPIC cameras. Moreover, in Malindi antenna for the uplink/downlink INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Brera did of the data, the Mirror Module of the XRT significantly contribute, together with the Me- developed by the INAF-Astronomical Obser- diaLario industry, to the realization of the large vatory of Brera under an ASI contract, the area mirror modules. The INAF Observatory XRT data analysis software developed by the of Palermo has been involved in the develop- ASDC. Furthermore, the Italian team partici- ment and calibration of the EPIC optical filters. pate to the scientific management of the mis- The mission shall operate up to at least 2014 sion, funded by ASI. with an extension till 2016 under ESA decision.

73 Puppis A

View from XMM-Newton and Chandra.

Since Earth’s atmosphere blocks out all X-rays, only a telescope in space can detect and study celestial X-ray sources. The XMM-Newton mission is helping scientists to solve a number of cosmic mysteries, ranging from the enigma- tic black holes to the origins of the Universe itself.

74 75 76 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

77 ALTEA ELITE-S2

Anomalous Long Term Effects in The human motion analysis facility for Astronauts’ Central Nervous System the International Space Station: tech- (ALTEA) integrates several diagno- nological characterisation and poten- stic technologies to measure the effect tial application for multifactorial mo- of the exposure of crewmembers to co- vement analysis in microgravity. smic radiation.

ALTEA is an ASI program realized by the Uni- Elaborator of Televised Images (ELITE-S2) is versity of Rome Tor Vergata and Italian Natio- an instrument created for gathering and analy- nal Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) aimed sing data on man’s movement in space. Its to study the brain functional effects of the space objective is to study the strategies and adapti- radiation environment, with a focus on the Li- ve mechanisms that the central nervous system ght Flashes phenomenon. The Mission ended in uses for motor control in the space environ- August 2007. In 2008 an agreement was signed ment. ELITE S2 is therefore a system centred with NASA to utilize this instrument as a de- on human neurophysiology with particular re- tector for operational purposes. Thanks to this gard to the analysis of three- dimensional mo- agreement ALTEA is today operative on board vement of man in space. It is based on an opto- the ISS in DOSI mode. ALTEA is composed electronic system for the quantitative analysis by six particle telescopes arranged in a helmet of human movement in three dimensions. The shaped support, a visual stimulator, an electro- system can reconstruct the astronauts’ move- encephalograph, a pushbutton. It features two ments, illuminating with four lasers up to one different main experimental protocols: unman- hundred markers placed on the body in subject, ned one (DOSI) during which the detectors with accuracy less than a millimetre. Astronau- monitor the radiation environment with a real ts will repeatedly carry out two scientific pro- time data downlinking to ground, and a manned tocols of the University of Rome Tor Vergata one (CNSM) during which the particles passing and Politecnico di Milano during that period. through the astronaut’s head are measured, to- ELITE- S2 was brought on board the ISS in gether with the astronaut brain electrophysiolo- August 2007 with the STS 118 Mission. Five gical dynamics, looking for correlations between experimental sessions have been performed particle passages and brain electrophysiology. during 2008 and other are foreseen.

78 HPA MDS

Hand Posture Analyzer (HPA) exa- An ASI experiment that will use a va- mines the way hand and arm muscles lidated mouse model to investigate the are used differently during grasping genetic mechanisms underlying bone and reaching tasks in weightlessness mass loss and other microgravity ef- (effects of long-duration space flight fect on different tissues such as muscles, on muscle fatigue). glands, brain.

HPA is an ASI instrument developed for eva- Mice Drawer System (MDS) is an animal room luating the impairment in performance of the where long-term experiments on small roden- muscular system and to select and define the ts can be performed on board the International strategies of movement of the upper arm un- Space Station, it has been launched on the STS der prolonged microgravity conditions. HPA 128 on August 29, 2010. has been used in five different missions for car- The idea for a MDS facility comes from a pro- rying out the three experiments selected that posal by the Centro di Biotechnologie avan- concern the area of motor control disturban- zate (Centre for Advanced Biotechnologies ces (IMAGINE experiment of the University of Genoa) that aims at finding out about the of Rome Tor Vergata, the MAIS experiment genetic mechanisms that are the basis for the of the Hospital Camaiore of Viareggio and the pathophysiology of bone mass. In addition to CHIRO experiment of the Hospital S. Chia- this experiment, another six experiments are ra of Pisa). The experiments have been car- scheduled regarding the study of the muscu- ried out during increment 7 of 2003 and 8 of lar, cardiac and endocrine systems. An inter- 2004, respectively by American astronauts Ed national “tissue sharing” programme is also Lu and Mike Foale. In 2005 it was part of the planned coordinated by ASI that involves the experiment programme during the “taxi flight” participation of selected experimenters from of Soyuz 10S with Italian astronaut Roberto NASA, JAXA, ESA and DLR. Vittori. In 2007 it was used again during the Esperia mission with Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli. Hand Posture Analyzer was on board the ISS in 2003. It will possibly be re-utilized to increase the data acquired so far (2010).

79 80 ABCDEFGHIJKL Scientific Commission

81 AMS-02

A state-of-the-art particle physics detector designed to operate as an external module on the International Space Station. Goal: study the universe and its origin by searching for antimatter, dark matter while performing precision measurements of cosmic rays composition and flux.

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) signatures and the precise determination of the is a state-of-the-art particle physics detect de- cosmic rays rare components flux. AMS-02 has signed to operate as an external module on the been launched on the Space Shuttle Endeavour International Space Station. It uses the unique in 2011 and will operate on the International environment of space to study the universe and Space Station for at least ten years. The AMS- its origin by searching for antimatter, dark mat- 02 collaboration is an international group of ter while performing precision measurements scientists, from 16 countries and 3 continents, of cosmic rays composition and flux. AMS-02 working together since 15 years. Italy institutes will measure the rigidity and the sign of the co- collaborating to AMS-02 are the Universities smic rays particles with its magnetic spectrome- and the linked Italian National Institute for Nu- ter and will separate the electromagnetic from clear Physics (INFN) units of Bologna, Milan, the nuclear part by means of multiple parti- Pisa, Perugia, Rome and Siena. The Italian con- cle identification detectors. The energy of the tribution is prominent in 4 out of 5 sub- detec- electromagnetic component will be measured tors and covered also a significant part of the by a dedicated calorimeter. The scientific goals space qualification tests that have been perfor- of the AMS-02 experiment include the search med at the SERMS test facility in Terni. In Italy for antimatter nuclei, the search for dark matter AMS-02 is funded by ASI and INFN.

82 ARIEL

Candidate for the ESA M4 mission approved for the assessment phase. It is devoted to study a large number of Exoplanets with the transit spectroscopy technique in the spectral range from 2 to 8 microns. Once approved, the spacecraft will be launched on 2025, with nominal operations of about 3 years up to 2029.

ARIEL (Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infra- provide a truly representative picture of the red Exoplanet Large-survey) will observe a chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate large number (~500) of warm and hot tran- this directly to the type and chemical environ- siting gas giants, Neptunes and super-Earths ment of the host star. For this ambitious scien- around a range of host star types using tran- tific programme, ARIEL is designed as a de- sit spectroscopy in the ~2-8 μm spectral ran- dicated survey mission for transit and eclipse ge and broad-band photometry in the optical. spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and The planets hotter than 600K that ARIEL will well-defined planet sample within its 3.5-year observe, due to their well-mixed atmospheres mission lifetime. The italian contribution to which should show minimal condensation and ARIEL is relevant, with a Co-PI ship of the sequestration of high-Z materials, will reveal mission and large contribution for the har- their bulk and elemental composition (especial- dware of the Telescope, Electronics, Software, ly C, O, N, S, Si). Observations of these hot Ground Segment and part of the Spectrome- exoplanets will allow the understanding of ter. The scientific and laboratory contribution the early stages of planetary and atmospheric is also relevant from various groups of diffe- formation during the nebular phase and the rent expertise. following few millions years. ARIEL will thus

83 BepiColombo

A general description is given in Com- mission B.

e-LISA LARES

A constellation of three spacecrafts, The LAser RElativity Satellite is a milions of km apart, each containing passive, laser ranged satellite. The mi- Test Masses in free fall, whose distance sion’s main goal is the measurement of is measured by lasere interferometry. the relativistic frame-dragging effect.

The Gravitational Universe is the theme of the Italian small mission characterized by low cost ESA L3 mission (third Large mission of the cen- and fast time of realization, LARES has been tury), now scheduled for 2034. The evolved Laser launched on February 13, 2012, with the quali- Interferometer Space Antenna observatory will fication launch of VEGA. The relativistic me- detect and measure gravitational waves in the asurement will be reached thanks to the very milliHertz region, gathering detailed informa- precise measurements of the satellite orbit tion on astrophysical phenomena like merging provided by the Satellite Laser Ranging tech- of compact objects (including black holes, not nique and through the scientific analysis of the accessible to e.m. observation), Extreme Mass acquired data combined with the ones given by Ratio Inspirals, galaxy coalescence and other the LAGEOS (NASA) and LAGEOS-2 (ASI/ events, virtually at any distance in universe. eLI- NASA) satellites. These two satellites have al- SA will consist of a constellation of three space- ready contributed to measure the Earth gravi- crafts, milions of km apart, each containing Test tational with high precision and have provided Masses in free fall, whose distance is measured a first measurement of the Lense-Thirring by lasere interferometry. Most of the “enabling precession at a 10% level. The LARES mission technologies” are tested on a dedicated ESA mis- has been a collaboration between ASI, Italian sion, called LISA Pathfinder, at present operatio- National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), nal and gathering data. University of Rome, and University of Lecce.

84 LISA GG

The aim of LISA-Pathfinder is to Galileo Galilei is small satellite to test “in flight” validate the technologies the Equivalence Principle of Galileo, needed for a space-borne gravitational Newton and Einstein to 1 part in 1017 wave detector. and beyond.

Lisa-Pathfinder is an ESA space “precursor” GG is a small satellite to be injected in low mission that opens the way for the eLISA ob- Earth orbit by the VEGA launcher with the servatory. goal of testing the Equivalence Principle of Lisa-Pathfinder hosts two test masses in ne- Galileo, Newton and Einstein to an unprece- ar-perfect gravitational free-fall and measures dented high precision of 10-17, and possibly and controls their motion with unprecedented better. Such a result would improve current accuracy. This is achieved through state-of- best tests by more than 4 orders of magnitude the-art technology including the electrostatic and be of crucial importance for both Physics inertial sensors, the laser metrology system, and Cosmology; evidence of a violation would the drag-free control system and an ultrapre- represent a scientific revolution. The feasibili- cise micropropulsion system. Launched on ty of GG has been confirmed by an ASI funded Dec 3rd, 2015, LISA is orbiting around the L1 Phase A- 2 Study completed in 2009 and based Lagrange Point and performing an exhausti- on experimental results from the GGG (GG ve series of tests. The results have been so far on the Ground) laboratory prototype. A colla- exceptionally good, demonstrating the feasibi- boration has initiated in 2010 with NASA JPL lity of space-borne interferometry and measu- which has recently expressed to ASI its inte- ring a quality of free-fall with residual accele- rest to collaborate in GG seeking appropriate rations below the femto-g level. NASA funding opportunities.

85 Churyumov Gerasimenko

The comet seen by the Rosetta mission.

There are hundreds of comets flying around the Solar System, each of them a potential target for ESA’s comet-chasing Rosetta mission. As the mission took shape, the science team was faced with the difficult task of sifting through these candidates until they identified a handful of suitable objects.

86 87 87 88 Sitography

89 URL

For further information please visit our websites.

AGILE www.maps.oapd.inaf.it www.asi.it/en/flash_ en/exploring/agile www.oacn.inaf.it/oacweb/oacweb_ricerca/ agile.rm.iasf.cnr.it cosmici/space_technologies.php?var=1&&i- d=1&&tit=1&&team=1 ALTEA www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/scien- CALET ce/experiments/ALTEA.html calet.pi.infn.it www.asi.it/en/activity/medicine/iss_scienti- fic_payloads Cassini-Huygens saturn.jpl.nasa.gov AMS-02 www.asi.it/it/attivita/sistema_solare/cassi- www.ams02.org/it nihuygens ams.pg.infn.it/ams-italy www.iaps.inaf.it/vims www.asi.it/en/activity/high_energy/ams CHEOPS ARIEL www.oact.inaf.it/cheops-it www.ariel-spacemission.eu sci.esa.int/cheops cheops.unibe.ch ASPIICS www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engine- Chandra ering_Technology/Proba_Missions/About_ www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra Proba-3 www.astropa.unipa.it/progetti_ricerca/indice- prog.html ASTROSAT astrosat.iucaa.in CLUSTER www.brera.inaf.it/utenti/belloni/GHATS_ sci.esa.int/cluster Package/Home.html CORE++ ATHENA www.b-pol.org www.the-athena-x-ray-observatory.eu www.core-mission.org www.prism-mission.org BepiColombo www.cosmos.esa.int/web/bepicolombo/home COSMO SkyMed www.asi.it/it/attivita/sistema_solare/bepi_ www.asi.it/en/activity/observation-earth/ colombo cosmo-skymed www.iaps.inaf.it www.e-geos.it/cosmo-skymed.html

90 CoRoT me-overview corot.cnes.fr www.asi.it/it/attivita/sistema_solare/exomars CSES-Limadou cses.roma2.infn.it/ Fermi www.iaps.inaf.it/downloads/2016-I- fermi.gsfc.nasa.gov NAF-IAPS-PlasmaChamb www.asi.it/it/attivita/astrofisica/fermiglast glast.pi.infn.it DAMPE www.iasf-milano.inaf.it/Divulgazione/di- dpnc.unige.ch/dampe vulgazione.php?pg=glast_fermi&mn=glast&lin=glast _fermi DAWN dawn.jpl.nasa.gov Gaia www.asi.it/it/attivita/sistema_solare/dawn www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia www.iaps.inaf.it/vir www.asi.it/it/attivita/cosmologia/gaia gaia.asdc.asi.it DUSTER www.oato.inaf.it/astrometry/Gaia_Italia dsa.uniparthenope.it/duster www.oacn.inaf.it/oacweb/oacweb_ricerca/ GG cosmici/sistema_solare.php?var=14&&i- eotvos.dm.unipi.it/ggproject.html d=1&&tit=14&&team=14 www.asi.it/it/attivita/cosmologia/galileo_ galilei e-LISA https://www.elisascience.org GOCE www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_ ELITE-S2 Earth/GOCE www.asi.it/en/activity/medicine/iss_scienti- www.goceitaly.asi.it/GoceIT/index.php?op- fic_payloads tion=com_content&view=article&id=96&I- temid=107 Euclid www.euclid-ec.org HERSCHEL sci.esa.int/euclid herschel.esac.esa.int www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/euclid herschel.asdc.asi.it www.ifsi-roma.inaf.it/ifsi/index.php?cate- ExoMars goryid=20 exploration.esa.int/mars/46048-program- hi-gal.ifsi-roma.inaf.it/higal

91 Hinode www.asi.it/it/attivita/esplorare-lo-spazio/ hinode.nao.ac.jp/index_e.shtml cosmologia-e-fisica-fondamentale/lisa-pathfinder HPA www.asi.it/en/activity/medicine/iss_scienti- LSPE fic_payloads planck.roma1.infn.it/lspe www.asi.it/it/attivita/esplorare-lo-spazio/co- HST smologia-e-fisica-fondamentale/lspe www.spacetelescope.org Mars Express INTEGRAL www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/ www.sciops.esa.int/index.php?projec=INTE- Mars_Express GRAL&page=index sci.esa.int/mars-express www.asi.it/it/attivita/astrofisica/integral www.asi.it/it/attivita/esplorazione-del-siste- projects.iaps.inaf.it/ibis ma-solare/mars-express

JUICE MDS sci.esa.int/juice www.asi.it/en/activity/medicine/iss_scienti- fic_payloads JUNO nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno MRO missionjuno.swri.edu www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/ www.asi.it/it/attivita/sistema_solare index.html mars.nasa.gov/mro JWST www.asi.it/it/attivita/esplorazione-del-siste- www.jwst.nasa.gov ma-solare/sharad sci.esa.int/jwst www.stsci.edu/jwst NuStar nustar.asdc.asi.it LARES nustar.gsfc.nasa.gov www.dii.unisalento.it/seo-start/page/home. index/seo-stop/index.php? OLIMPO www.asi.it/en/activity/cosmology/lares planck.roma1.infn.it/olimpo

LISA PAMELA sci.esa.int/lisa-pathfinder/ pamela.roma2.infn.it

92 Planck sci.esa.int/spica/42281-summary sci.esa.int/planck sci.esa.int/trs/56108-next-generation-cryogenic-cooled-infrared-telescope PLATO spica.edpsciences.org sci.esa.int/plato www.asi.it/en/activity/cosmology-and-funda- STEREO mental-physics/plato www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo www.oact.inaf.it/plato/PPLC/Home.html www.oact.inaf.it/plato/Plato-Italia/Home. Swift html swift.gsfc.nasa.gov swift.asdc.asi.it PRISMA www.swift.ac.uk www.asi.it/en/activity/observation-earth/ prisma THOR thor.irfu.se Rosetta www.asi.it/it/attivita/esplorazione-del-siste- XMM-Newton ma-solare/rosetta xmm.esac.esa.int sci.esa.int/rosetta

SCORE metis.oato.inaf.it/index.php/instrument/score

SOHO www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/ SOHO_overview2 sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov www.cfa.harvard.edu/uvcs

Solar Orbiter sci.esa.int/solar-orbiter metis.oato.inaf.it/index.php

SPICA www.ir.isas.jaxa.jp/SPICA/SPICA_HP/index-en.html

93 94 Acknowledgments

The editor acknowledges the contribution of the following people.

Autors Gabriele Mascetti Teresa Capria Sergio Molinari Davide Coero Borga Aldo Morselli Livia Giacomini Lorenzo Natalucci Anna Nobili Contributors Roberto Orosei Alberto Adriani Isabella Pagano Giovanni Ambrosi Pasquale Palumbo Ester Antonucci Giuseppe Piccioni Massimo Bassan Piergiorgio Picozza Roberto Battiston Giampaolo Piotto Angela Bazzano Luigi Piro Tomaso Belloni Ennio Poretti Bruna Bertucci Fabio Reale Roberto Bruno Alessandra Scaffidi Roberto Buonanno Paolo Soffitta Laura Candela Daniele Spadaro Fabrizio Capaccioni Luigi Spinoglio Elisabetta Cavazzuti Gianpiero Tagliaferri Priscilla Cerroni Marco Tavani Ignazio Ciufolini Monica Tosi Giuseppe Consolini Luca Valenziano Gabriele Cremonese Stefano Vitale Paolo De Bernardis Luca Zappacosta Maria Cristina De Sanctis Marco Ziggiotti Vincenzo Della Corte Anna Di Giorgio Piero Diego Luigi Dini Eleonora Ferroni Fabrizio Fiore Valerio Iafolla David Lucchesi Nazareno Mandolesi Maria Federica Marcucci Pier Simone Marrocchesi

95 96 97 Printed in July 2016.

98 99 100