A graduate in aeronautical engineering from the Federico II University in Naples, he spent 20 years in the United States as a Space Scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics participating in several space missions. He returned to Italy in 2006 to ASI and has held various positions such as Technical Director and currently Science and Research Director. A member of various working groups, commissions and international delegations, he is the author of a book and several scientific publications.