Good evening everyone!
I am very happy to announce that thanks to your generous donations, I have reached the goal of €8,000 today! I really don't know how to thank you, you allowed me to make a dream come true! The remaining expenses (flight, insurance, etc…) will be covered by my personal savings. Attached to this letter is the payment receipt for the remaining amount of €7,000. Starting on the day I arrive in Houston (June 8) I will update you (perhaps once a week) on the activities and experiences I will be participating in via these update emails. To get real-time updates, you can follow me on my account and contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks again for your essential support.
My name is Matteo Rossi, I was born in Gravedona on October 16, 2000. I have always lived in Gravedona. Oljeti Comasco, a small city in the province of Como. From an early age, she showed a strong interest in scientific disciplines, especially mathematics, computer science, and physics. This passion for IT led me to obtain a diploma as an IT expert. Regarding my university journey, I chose not to limit myself to my previous field of study. I am an insatiable person, always searching for new knowledge, and this thirst led me to join the Faculty of Science. Aviation Engineering in Politecnico di Milano. Choosing engineering was due to my desire to deepen my skills in mathematics and physics, while majoring in aerospace filled my desire to explore further, satisfying my curiosity for the space sector. Three years later, I obtained my bachelor's degree, during which I discovered my overwhelming interest in space, attracted by its rapid development thanks to the initiatives of private agencies and start-ups.
I continued my studies and went to university
Master in
Space engineeringalways in
Politecnico di MilanoNow I'm just a few steps away from finishing, and I've only missed two exams and the thesis. The latter is being developed at the DART (Deep Space Astrodynamics Research and Technology) Laboratory of the Polytechnic, focusing on reconstructing the shape of the asteroid Dimorphos by using images captured by the CubeSat Milani, scheduled for launch in October 2024. And reaching the asteroid in 2026. In November 2022, I joined
Polyspace, a student association dedicated to research and development of space projects, where I initially took on the role of website manager, and recently joined the CubeSat development team. This small satellite (10cm x 10cm x 10cm) aims to test an innovative structural battery from an Italian start-up and advanced solar cells developed by the University of Cambridge.
My participation in a hackathon in Bremen, organized by the French startup LeanSpace, with
Polyspace In November 2023, it represented an extraordinary opportunity. The event, which focused on the development of the mission control site for satellites, saw three teams compete from across Europe. Our team won first place and received a scholarship to participate in
Space Studies Program (SSP) Dale
International Space University (ISU), The prestigious summer course celebrates its 36th edition this year in Houston, IN
Rice UniversityIn cooperation with
NASA Securities Commission. This 8-week program offers an unprecedented training experience in a highly multicultural environment, attracting approximately 120 participants from all over the world and combining theoretical lessons with visits and practical experiences in collaboration with NASA, which is new this year due to the collaboration. Johnson Space Center is home to the Mission Control Room, where operations for major NASA missions (Apollo 11 for example) are managed. Moreover, it is a training site for future generations of astronauts. However, Rice University is where Kennedy gave his famous speech in 1962, where he announced his intention to go to the moon.
Despite the generous grant of €12,000 we receivedEuropean Space Agency (European Space Agency)The total cost of the course is 20,000 euros which includes food, accommodation and all educational activities. My application for further scholarships was not selected by ASI (Italian Space Agency) due to the high participation of Italian citizens, which left me with a difference of 8.000 euros To be financed.
Of these 8,000 euros, I have already paid a deposit of 1,000 euros thanks to my personal savings, but through…
March 31, 2024 I have to pay the rest
7.000 euros. This number is difficult for a simple university student to reach and will burden my family's budget. That's why I find myself asking for help from the community and from all the people who know me and those who don't know me, to continue this dream that started simply from a town in the province of Como. I will share payments and updates on this portal, to be as transparent as possible for those who decide to help me. Once I get to Houston, I will continue to share photos and videos of the experience, so you can share my experience. Below, I also leave my IBAN, for anyone who wants to contribute directly via bank transfer. You can see my SSP acceptance letter via the following link:
SSP acceptance letter
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