During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis addressed an empty and rainy St. Peter's Square.
POPE FRANCIS
March 27, 2020
The Lord challenges us from his Cross to rediscover the life that awaits us, to look at those who call us, to empower, and recognize and encourage the grace that dwells in us. Let us not extinguish the flame.
The message he delivered in March of 2020—focused on hope for humanity—has since been published in book form and reached hundreds of thousands across the world. Now, with the help of the Italian Space Agency, the Pope's words will be launched into space.
GIORGIO SACCOCCIA
President, Italian Space Agency
We were asked, how can we bring this into space and make sure that this message from space will be broadcasted to the whole population on earth?
The solution? Working together with the National Research Council and the Polytechnic University of Turin to create a miniture version of the book and a device to safeguard it. Then, building a satellite for the book's journey through Low Earth Orbit.
GIORGIO SACCOCCIA
President, Italian Space Agency
It's a simple satellite that has been designed to work, to operate in orbit for a minimum of 6 months. But if everything goes well, there might be no impediment to have it working much longer than that.
Expected on June 10th, the satellite will launch from California in the Falcon 9 rocket. The Pope's message from the book will be broadcast back to earth via radio signal.
GIORGIO SACCOCCIA
President, Italian Space Agency
Each of us has to take our own action, our own commitment, our own responsibility. And this is what I really hope will be triggered by the message of the Holy Father coming from space down to earth.
It is the first time the Italian Space Agency has worked together with the Vatican to build a satellite. But hopefully not the last.
AT
