AIPAS (Associazione delle Imprese per le Attività Spaziali) was created in 1998 with the objective to serve the needs of Small and Medium sized companies operating in the space sector, gathering also space large companies. AIPAS is a No-Profit Association and it aims at:

• promoting in the various national and international centres the general interests of Space SMEs;
• tackling the fundamental issues of the Aerospace market by implementing initiatives, monitoring and observing activities of the sector;
• informing and assisting Associate Members by promoting their activities coordination and their unity spirit;
• promoting the coordinated participation of Associate Members at most important national and international events of space sector;
• joining other national and international Associations or Agencies for the benefit of its Associate Members;
• facilitating the encounter and the collaboration between SMEs and Large Companies;
• making and encouraging research activities relative to space sector also with conferences and publications.

AIPAS Associate Members are both upstream and downstream the space value chain. They are active in the principal technological domains:
Many of AIPAS SMEs have a long experience with ESA and EU programs, as subcontractors but also as Prime Contractors of complex activities, in coordination of several partners (including large firms).
AIPAS is the promoter and a founding member of SME4SPACE, the Panel of the European Space SME Associations (www.sme4space.org).
AIPAS is a member of AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association) – Chapter of Rome.