Altair Signs Research Agreement with the Politecnico di Milano

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Altair, a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI), has signed a research agreement with the Politecnico di Milano. The agreement will allow Altair to participate in the Space Economy 2022 Observatory, which is a group of researchers and organizations dedicated to exploring how key industrial players are defining and using resources, performing activities, and creating value through the exploration, understanding, management, and use of space.

Led by the Politecnico di Milano – a leading Italian, public, scientific-technological university that trains engineers, architects, and industrial designers – the Space Economy Observatory will explore various activities including tourism, observation, research, mining, and more. The space economy is a fast-growing and evolving sector that is constantly being redefined by major technological and economic changes like the rise of additive manufacturing, groundbreaking computing power, advanced materials, and the growing role of privately-owned space programs. The Space Economy Observatory’s goal is to accelerate cross-sector innovation by combining the most advanced digital technologies to generate a broad portfolio of services.

Altair will provide its broad knowledge and proven simulation, product development, HPC, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics expertise. Through its convergence approach to technology, Altair will also provide insight regarding how technologies interact, and how firms and teams within the space economy can utilize them to make better products that generate improved data and insight. Another important element Altair can share within the Space Economy Observatory is the computing expertise, since computing is one of the most important aspects of the space economy today and will continue to be a crucial technology moving forward.

“Italy is taking advantage of the burgeoning space economy, as shown by the Italian government allocating €2.3 billion dedicated to improving earth observation satellite technologies and other areas of the space economy as part of the Next Generation EU recovery plan,” said Andrea Maria Benedetto, managing director of Italy, Altair. “The space economy’s future will hinge on the ability to create satellites that are smaller, lighter, and better at withstanding the harsh environment of space. In addition, organizations that can create cheaper launchers, better antennas, and instruments that can handle and organize the enormous amounts of data they capture will gain a competitive edge. Altair joined the Observatory's research pool because it can empower people to manage simulation, data analytics, and a robust IT infrastructure in a simple, dynamic way. We’ve been honing this concept for decades, and we’re now providing researchers with powerful, dynamic, world-class software they can use to define the future of the space economy.”

“The Space Economy will assume an increasingly important strategic role in achieving the sustainability and transition objectives of the European and Italian agenda. Therefore, the Space Economy Observatory is committed to support the Italian ecosystem and the Altair’s decision to join our community of practice is for us an important sign of vitality and growing relevance,” said Angelo Cavallo, director, Space Economy Observatory.