The conference ‘From Rocco Petrone to the Space Economy’ took place on 14 and 15 June in Potenza. This event marked the opening of the first stage of the 2026 Space Economy General Assembly and brought together institutions, universities, research bodies, businesses and national stakeholders to discuss the future prospects of the aerospace sector.
The initiative, part of the celebrations marking the centenary of Rocco Petrone’s birth, provided an opportunity for in-depth discussion and knowledge-sharing focused on innovation, research and the strategic role of regional ecosystems in the development of new space-based economies.
A tribute to Rocco Petrone
The event paid tribute to Rocco Petrone, an engineer of Lucanian origin and a leading figure in the history of space exploration, who made a decisive contribution to the realisation of the Apollo Programme and the historic moon landing. His story continues to this day to serve as an example of vision, expertise and determination for new generations of talent and professionals in the aerospace sector.
Two days of discussion on the future of the sector
Over the course of the two days, key issues for the future of the Space Economy were discussed, with a particular focus on the relationship between businesses, research and institutions, the development of skills, and the ability of local areas to build competitive and interconnected innovation ecosystems.
Sintesi’s participation
Sintesi S.r.l. took part in the initiative as a member company of CLAS – the Lucanian Aerospace Cluster, sharing an important opportunity for dialogue with businesses, universities, research centres and organisations from across Italy.
Participation in the event confirms Sintesi’s commitment to promoting collaboration between businesses, research and the local area as a driver for the development of innovation and the creation of new opportunities in the aerospace sector.
Find out more about the initiative
The 2026 Space Economy General Assembly is a national programme of discussion on the aerospace sector: Basilicata hosted its first stage, linking it to the celebrations marking the centenary of Rocco Petrone’s birth.
The Centenary Ceremony and the National Conference of 14-15 June 2026 were promoted by Regione Basilicata together with CLAS – the Lucanian Aerospace Cluster and the TeRN technology district, with the University of Basilicata hosting the proceedings.
Who was Rocco Petrone
Rocco Petrone (1926-2006), an American engineer of Lucanian descent, was one of the leading figures of NASA’s space programme: director of launch operations at the Kennedy Space Center and later director of the Apollo Programme, he played a decisive role in the mission that took humankind to the Moon.
Sintesi’s role
A member company of CLAS, Sintesi S.r.l. supports businesses and public bodies with consultancy, research and innovation services, running Research & Development projects ranging from ICT to artificial intelligence and data analysis. Its presence at the Space Economy General Assembly is part of its work building networks between businesses, universities and research centres across the region.