Technological spin-offs of the PMST program of the Italian Space agency (ASI)

ASI Small (Piccole) Missions for Science and Technology (PMST) have been running full speed ahead for four years already. The program is one of Italys responses to the general call, by the Space Agencies, for challenging science missions that are also a good opportunity for new advancements in space technology and in the related technology transfer. Both research institutes and industries are asked to cooperate in the program. Another goal of the program is to demonstrate ASIs capability of launching a scientific/technological satellite every two years with the objective of doubling launching frequency by 2005. Currently ASI has two PMST already approved and in advanced development phases: AGILE and DAVID. The former is a gamma-ray observatory, which uses innovative photon detectors developed in Italian centers; the latter a dedicated TLC program operating at very high frequencies: 80-100 GHz. A third PMST, for Earth observation science, will be selected by the end of the year, out of five preselected proposals which have been funded for Phase A study.