Since 16th of May 2025 Lieutenant General Antonio CONSERVA is the Italian Air Force Chief of Staff. He serves as the senior uniformed Air Force Officer responsible for the organisation, training and equipment of 44,000 active duty men and women serving in Italy and overseas. In accordance with the directives of the Chief of Defense Staff, he is responsible for the preparation and deployment of the national airspace defense system and, for this purpose; he coordinates the deployment of all the means involved in the defense of national airspace.

Lieutenant General (AF) Antonio CONSERVA was born in Taranto on 12 January 1963. In 1982 he joined the Air Force enrolling in Class “Borea 4”, and got his Military Pilot license in 1987.

In 1988 he was assigned to 21st Fighter Squadron – 53rd Wing Cameri, where be achieved Combat Readiness on Fl04S aircraft. Within the 21st Fighter Squadron he was appointed Commander of 351st Flight and Squadron Operations Officer, taking part in Operations “Trinacria” and “Deny Flight”.

In 1994 he served as flight instructor in the USA, flying T38 aircraft. On his return to Italy in 1997 he was assigned to 61st Wing-Lecce, where he commanded the 213th Training Squadron. Subsequently he held the post of Wing Operations Officer.

After attending the Joint Staff College (ISSMI) in academic year 2000/2001, he was assigned to the Air Force Staff where he served as Head of Performance, Verification and Analysis Office within the General Office for Internal Control, then as Deputy Head of General Planning Office- 3rd Department.

From September 2006 to July 2008 he commanded 36th Wing – Gioia del Colle, flying F-2000.

In 2008 he returned to the Air Force Staff as Head of General Planning and Transformation Office -3rd Department and, from 2010, as Deputy Head of 6th Department – Economic and Financial Affairs.

In October 2012 he was appointed Head of the General Internal Control Office and, from September 2013, Head of 6th Department – Economic and Financial Affairs. In April 2016 he was assigned to the Defence Staff, where he held the post of Deputy Head General Office for Planning, Programming and Budgeting.
In June, 2017 he took office as Commander-Air Operations Command – Poggio Renatico. On his return to the Defence Staff, in 2019, he was appointed Head of the General Office for Planning, Programming and Budgeting.

On June 22nd, 2021 he was appointed Chief of the Cabinet of the Minister of Defense. On October 19th 2023 he was appointed Logistics Commander of the Italian Air Force. Since May 16, 2025, Air Squadron General Antonio Conserva has been the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force.

Gen. Conserva has over 3,000 flight hours on his record, achieved in fighter and advanced training aircrafts. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Sciences from Naples University and a Master Degree in International and Diplomatic Sciences from Trieste University, a Master Degree in International Strategic and Military Studies from Center for Defence Higher Studies (Rome) and a Master’s Degree in National Security Strategy from National Defense University (Washington, DC).

Lt Gen. Conserva was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and was awarded the “Mauriziana” Medal for 50 years military service, the Military Medal of Merit for Long Command in gold, the Gold Medal for long air navigation, the Gold Service Cross with star, the NATO Medal for Operations in Former Yugoslavia, the NATO Medal for Operations in and Kosovo, Medal for Meritorious Service of the US Air Force and Service Medal forCommon Security and Defense Policy for Planning and Support for his participation in EU Operation “Sophia”.

Lt Gen. Conserva is married to Anna. They have one daughter, Giulia.

Teodoro Valente is a Full Professor of Materials Science and Technology at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and a leading figure in Italian research in the fields of aerospace, advanced materials, and innovative industrial processes. He is a distinguished member of the International Advisory Board of the Miami Scientific Italian Community.

Since 2023, he has served as President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), where he has promoted a systemic vision of national space policies, integrating scientific, technological, and economic dimensions. Previously, he directed the Institute for Polymers, Composites, and Biomaterials at the National Research Council (CNR) and held the position of Pro-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Technology Transfer at La Sapienza.

He is the author of over 200 scientific publications in international journals, co-inventor of three international patents, and coordinator of numerous European and industrial research projects.

Carlos García-Galán is the Program Manager for the Moon Base, bringing more than 27 years of experience in human spaceflight to this role. In this position, he supports the overall management and development of NASA’s Moon Base initiative, part of the agency’s broader effort to establish a lasting human presence on the Moon and prepare for future deep space exploration.

Previously, García-Galán served as the Deputy Manager for the Gateway Program. He also served as the Manager of the Orion Program’s European Service Module (ESM) Integration Office at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, he was responsible for the integration of the European Space Agency-developed ESM, including design activities, assembly, and testing with other modules of the Orion spacecraft.

A native of Malaga, Spain, García-Galán joined the Orion Program Office in 2010 at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he held various technical and management positions. His work encompassed integrated spacecraft design and performance, mission analysis, cross-program integration, and launch and flight operations support.

Prior to his involvement with Orion, García-Galán was an International Space Station (ISS) flight controller, supporting multiple Space Shuttle-ISS assembly missions and increment operations from Mission Control in Houston and Korolev, Russia. Additionally, he worked for Honeywell Space Systems as a technical lead, developing vehicle health management technologies and supporting Lockheed Martin during the initial development of the Orion spacecraft.

García-Galán has been recognized for his contributions to human spaceflight with numerous awards, including the Honeywell Space Systems Engineer of the Year (Houston), NASA Silver Achievement Medal, Exceptional Achievement Medal, Johnson Space Center Director’s Commendation, Orion Program Manager’s Commendation, and the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award.