“Italy is committed to not conducting destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests”, announced today Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani.
The decision – which follows the adoption in New York in December 2022 of UN General Assembly Resolution 77/41, which Italy co-sponsored and which calls on all states to commit to not conducting destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests – is part of the Italian government’s strong commitment to ensuring the long-term sustainability and security of outer space.
Such tests, which use missiles to destroy dead or dying satellites, raise serious concerns as they create large quantities of space debris, making Earth orbit a more dangerous place, and potentially having widespread and irreversible impacts on the space environment.
“Italy will continue to work actively and constructively to increase the safety and sustainability of outer space, a common good that is very important for the vital interests of all nations. In this extremely important sector, we stand side by side with our main Atlantic and Western partners to support and strengthen a rules-based and conflict-free international order for space activities”, noted Deputy Prime Minister Tajani.
