First Workshop on Advanced Space Chemical, Electric and Nuclear Thrusters (ASCENT)

Format

The First Workshop on Advanced Space Chemical, Electric and Nuclear Thrusters (ASCENT), hosted by the Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPL) of the University of Pisa, will be held in Pisa, Italy, from October 13th to 17th, 2026. The event is intended for students, researchers and engineers.

The workshop will be about Advanced Thrusters for Space Propulsion, covering the three complementary domains of electric, chemical, and nuclear propulsion. Space access and in-space transportation are entering a new era: the growing demand for higher specific impulse, the push toward environmentally sustainable propellants, and the renewed interest in nuclear solutions for deep-space missions are reshaping both the scientific agenda and the industrial landscape. These transitions bring together a rich set of technical, programmatic and regulatory challenges that deserve a joint discussion.

The workshop will provide an opportunity to discuss the latest frontiers of space propulsion research and foster new collaborations. The program will include thematic sessions, panel sessions and technical visits to Aerospazio Tecnologie and SITAEL. A poster session will be organized to foster interaction and share ideas between researchers and passionate students of space propulsion.

The team of the Space Propulsion Laboratory welcomes you to the first edition of the Workshop on Advanced Space Chemical, Electric and Nuclear Thrusters!

The Speakers

The speakers taking part of the first ASCENT Workshop are professors, researchers and experts from industry. During the workshop they will give participants insights into the latest developments about space propulsion. If you want to know more about them, please enter the dedicated page to see their biographies and talk titles!

Venue