From dream to achievable goal. Space, thanks to the giant steps that technology has made in recent decades, is becoming increasingly more land of conquestJust think that in the last few months the first star voyages with private citizens on board have started and that it is estimated that in the next few years approximately 500,000 people will be invested a trillion dollars in the space economyA dizzying growth that imposes a serious reflection on the resources deployed and on the impact in terms of pollution who will travel more and more frequently. The challenge for the entire sector is to find a way to make to make economic sustainability coincide with environmental sustainability.
SUSTAINABLE SPACE TRAVEL
At the forefront of the search for sustainable solutions is a truly local excellence: the Italian Aerospace Research Center (CIRA)This applied research organization, based in Capua, in the province of Caserta, is in fact studying new hybrid propulsion systems ed power, both for airplanes and spacecraft. The goal, as he explains to Non sprecare Joseph Morsillo, president of Cira, "is to develop aircraft capable of providing safe yet sustainable travel thanks to hybrid propulsion and then transition to purely electric propulsion." This is a perfectly achievable goal for the president, according to whom these technologies could also be used for space travel in the immediate future. The horizon he is thinking about is that of 2030.
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CIRA
“We as CIRA are involved in the largest green deal project, the European Green Pact, and we are part of the 10 research centres with the aim zero emissionsTo achieve these objectives, CIRA, which has mixed public and private control, can count on a team of 220 researchers and 60 technicians, supported by around sixty administrative resources. The facility that hosts them boasts cutting-edge systems to carry out the tests necessary to safely fly airplanes, spacecraft and space prototypes
SUSTAINABILITY IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
A more sustainable aerospace industry doesn't just involve green aircraft fuel systems. The research center is part of the ZEMA – Zero Emission Aviation – group, which aims to: reduce the environmental impact of air transport to zero, through not only the use of sustainable fuels but also working for flight route optimization and the development of aircraft capable of flying such routes, which will contribute to respecting the environment and climate. A further field of experimentation for CIRA is to arrive at the development of reusable spacecraft What will the new Space Riders be like, for example? These shuttles, as Giuseppe Morsillo explains, will be able to carry a payload of 800 kg into space and back for a total of six missions. This is a huge feat compared to the standard vehicles currently in service, which can only provide one outward journey.
The photos are taken from the Facebook page of Cira.
The work of "CIRA" is competing for the 2021 Non Sprecare Award, in the "Companies" section. To submit your projects, follow the instructions provided. here.
THE PROJECTS COMPETING FOR THE NON SPRECARE AWARD:
- LombriCOMPOSTiera: the sustainable biocomposter that transforms waste into a resource
- Guppyfriend Bag, the bag that traps microplastics produced in washing machines
- What to do with old eyeglasses and sunglasses. The Lions Club project to donate them to those in need.
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