Aerospace engineering summer camp in Rome: program at Sapienza with ESA researchers
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The Sapienza University of Rome, founded in 1303 and a global reference in exact sciences, houses the School of Aerospace Engineering, which is among the 30 best in the world in the QS 2026 ranking. It is within this environment that an aerospace engineering summer camp was born in Rome for young people with an interest in propulsion, space systems and rocket design. The scientific pillar of the program is Prof. Antonella Ingenito, a researcher with more than 100 scientific publications and active collaborations with ESA (European Space Agency), and ends with a real rocket launch in the city of Rovigo.
What makes Rome a strategic base for studying aerospace engineering?
Rome is not just a historic capital: it is a scientific and technological hub where Italian aerospace research finds its institutional center. The Sapienza University of Rome, with almost 120,000 students, is the largest university in Europe and maintains the 1st position in engineering in the Italian national ranking, according to Times Higher Education 2026.
The city concentrates three key players in the space sector:
- ASI (Italian Space Agency): responsible for Italy's participation in ISS missions and for the largest network of Earth observation satellites in Europe
- THAT ONE: maintains direct links with Italian universities through research contracts and the Graduate Trainee 2026 program, which opened more than 400 vacancies for young professionals in the space area
- AENEA: national energy and technology research center focusing on next-generation propulsion
Being in Rome during the summer means having access to a scientific ecosystem that most students only know in books.
Who is Prof. Antonella Ingenito and what is her role in the program?
The scientific anchor of the program is Prof. Antonella Ingenito, PhD in Aerospace Propulsion and Combustion from Sapienza. She is an Associate Professor at the institution and heads the Propulsion Laboratory, where she conducts research on hypersonic propulsion and green fuels for next-generation space systems.
Your resume includes:
- Over 100 scientific publications in international journals
- Collaborations with ESA, ENEA and MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education)
- Coordination of major research projects funded by European bodies
- Active participation in clean propulsion projects, aligned with ESA's space agenda for 2030
The presence of Prof. Ingenito as an editorial reference for the program is not a protocol. She represents the type of researcher who defines the frontier of what is possible in modern propulsion, with work directly applied to real missions. For a student who is exploring aerospace engineering as a career, having contact with this trajectory during the summer camp is a concrete educational differential.
How does the Aerospace Engineering & Space Tech Program work?
The program, developed in partnership with the Sapienza School of Aerospace Engineering, is structured in five progressive modules that take students from fundamental theory to the launch of a real rocket:
- Aerospace Engineering Foundations: fundamentals of physics, aerodynamics, and orbital mechanics. Conceptual basis for all of the following modules.
- Rocket Design & Propulsion: propulsion system design, calculation of thrust, materials and structure of launch vehicles.
- Space Mission Simulation: simulation of space missions with trajectory analysis, communication and control systems.
- Embedded Systems & Arduino Programming: microcontroller programming for flight sensors and telemetry systems.
- Rocket Prototype Development & Launch: team-based rocket construction and actual launch at the Rovigo field.
The progressive structure is intentional. Each module provides the necessary knowledge for the following, and the launch in Rovigo is not a symbolic activity: it is the practical validation of everything learned in the four previous modules.
What do the participants develop during the program?
The summer camp works on three simultaneous training layers:
Technical skills:
- Physics and mathematics applied to real flight systems
- Computational Aerodynamics and Trajectory Modeling
- Embedded programming for flight systems
Engineering mindset:
- Problem solving with real time, material, and performance constraints
- Multidisciplinary teamwork in the development of prototypes
- Systemic thinking for highly complex projects
Career context:
- Direct access to the Sapienza research environment
- Contact with the vision of a researcher who actively collaborates with ESA
- Practical understanding of how European universities and space agencies connect
These three axes combined form what elite programs call a “differentiated candidate profile” in international university selections for engineering courses.
What are the career prospects in aerospace engineering in Europe?
Aerospace engineering is among the three highest-paying engineering areas globally. In Europe, data from 2026 indicate that senior engineers in the sector reach between €90,000 and €119,000 annually in Germany, one of the continent's leading aerospace industrial hubs, with companies such as Airbus, MT Aerospace and OHB Systems concentrated in Munich and Bremen.
Aerospace engineering graduates are among the professionals with the highest career income growth among all technical areas. This is explained by a combination of structural factors:
- Highly specialized global market with low supply of qualified professionals
- Consistent expansion of public and private space programs (SpaceX, Rocket Lab, ESA, ASI)
- Growing intersection with high-performance automotive, especially Formula 1 and electric vehicles
- Demand for clean propulsion, where the aerospace sector leads applied research
ESA, for example, published more than 400 career opportunities for young professionals in 2026 alone, including the Graduate Trainee program and the Junior Professional Program, which accepts candidates with a master's degree and up to three years of experience.
O aerospace engineering exchange for young people covers a variety of trajectories that go beyond summer camp, including university specializations and application programs. Those who evaluate whether it is worth starting before college are more clear about why Aerospace engineering is one of the professions with the highest income growth over a career, which makes the initial training investment easier to justify.
How is the experience of being in Rome during the program?
In addition to the technical curriculum, the program includes visits that broaden the student's professional context:
- Visit the partner aerospace company: contact with the actual operation of a company in the sector, with access to active professionals
- Rocket launch in Rovigo: the culmination of the program, where the prototype built by the team is actually launched
- Historic Rome: Colosseum, Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi, as part of Italian cultural immersion
Rome naturally combines scientific rigor and cultural richness. For an international student, this combination creates an experience that goes far beyond the classroom.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions about the aerospace engineering summer camp in Rome
1. Is it necessary to have prior engineering knowledge to participate?No. The program begins with the fundamentals and is designed for students in the pre-university phase or in the first years of graduation in areas of exact sciences.
2. Is the program in English or in Italian?The program is conducted in English, which makes it accessible to international students without a command of Italian.
3. What is the recommended age range for the program?The typical profile is of young people between 15 and 22 years old with an interest in engineering, physics, or mathematics.
4. Is the rocket launch in Rovigo carried out individually or as a team?As a team. The development and launch of the prototype are the collective delivery of the class, which reinforces the competencies of collaborative work in engineering projects.
5. How does this program strengthen a university application in engineering?Practical experiences with leading institutions, such as Sapienza, and contact with high-level researchers are elements valued by European and American universities in the selection process for high-demand engineering courses.
Be Easy: Boutique exchange consultancy
Be Easy is curated by specialized summer programs for young people with an interest in engineering, exact sciences, and high-performance international careers. If you want to understand how the aerospace engineering summer camp in Rome fits into your child's career project, contact us for a personalized conversation with our team.
