Roberto Carlino and space
Space. Dream of entire generations crowned by a select few. The most extreme representation of exploration as well as the most mysterious. But when we think of space we must not only stop at the walks in the cosmic void or the missions on distant planets and satellites, but also the fundamental work that is carried out every day in the futuristic laboratories on Mother Earth. And Roberto Carlino, for several months, has been part of that group of "brains" committed to finding the answers to the numerous questions that man has always asked himself.
From precarious to NASA
Roberto Carlino is a 27-year-old boy who graduated in Aerospace Engineering in Naples at the age of 23 with 110 cum laude and mention by the entire examining commission. A brilliant mind with excellent preparation, ready to get involved in the world of work and research. His dream, from an early age, was in fact to fulfill himself in his field and to contribute to the space cause, just like many other young people who have just graduated. A dream that, however, had to deal with the harsh reality of his country which was unable to exploit its genius.
After completing his studies, Roberto started sending CVs to all the main Italian space and research agencies: the Italian Space Agency, the Italian Aerospace Research Center, Thales Alenia Space and many others. In many cases, however, the young engineer did not even receive an answer, thus being denied even the possibility of a simple interview. He therefore decides to participate in a master's degree in Rome, also and above all to get in touch with other companies in the sector. And it is precisely with the master that Roberto has the opportunity to get noticed by NASA, the American space agency, with a trip to California and the opportunity to present a project for a space mission developed during the master by Roberto himself and his colleagues. .
Back in Italy, the Neapolitan engineer sent his CV to NASA, impressed by the beauty of the structures made in the USA, and continued with his unpaid internship and without any career hope, when he received a surprise response from California. Suddenly Roberto's dream becomes more alive than ever with the opportunity of a paid internship of six months in the coveted American laboratories and the possibility of being realized in the most famous space agency in the world. After completing his internship in recent months, he was offered a 3-year contract as a member of the Tess (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission team, the research program for identifying other planets capable of hosting life and which also sees the participation of the giant Google.
Roberto Carlino is currently working on the Tess project, but he has repeatedly declared himself sorry for the treatment received by the Italian agencies, which remained indifferent towards that dreamer genius in his early twenties. It seems a paradox, in fact, to be discarded by Italian research and then to find himself at the center of a project at NASA, but for Roberto traveling and moving is a fundamental step for the growth of a person, as long as this is not obliged to do so, just like it happened to the young Italian engineer.
