catapano and casagrande unveil engineer albertini’s artic legacy in milan

The conference at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan explored the epic 1929 HEIMEN-SUCAI Arctic expedition. Moderated by Polarquest President Paola Catapano and featuring Polarquest geographer Gianluca Casagrande, among other speakers, the event provided a multidisciplinary overview of the search for the missing crew members who flew away on board the envelope  of the ITALIA airship right after the crash and the geographical and scientific discoveries that shaped the history of polar exploration.

On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan hosted a conference dedicated to the remarkable Arctic expedition led by engineer and explorer Gianni Albertini. The event, organized by the Italian Geographical Society and GREAL from the European University of Rome, took place in the historic Sala Biancamano within the museum’s Aeronaval Pavilion, drawing experts and enthusiasts alike.

The HEIMEN-SUCAI expedition, conducted by Albertini between May and September 1929, aimed to search for possible survivors of the ITALIA airship, whose envelope had been lost the previous year north of the Svalbard Islands. Though the primary mission was ultimately unsuccessful, the journey left a lasting legacy in the history of Arctic exploration, contributing to new geographical and scientific discoveries.

The event, moderated by Paola Catapano, featured distinguished speakers: Marco Iezzi (Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology), Gianluca Casagrande (Italian Geographical Society and Polarquest member), Roberto Sparapani (National Research Council and Polarquest expert team), Roberta Rodelli (European University of Rome), and documentary filmmaker Christian Cinetto. 

It was co organised by the daghet of Gianni Albertini, Mrs Giovanna D’Urso Albertini and attended by several family members of Albertini’s crew.

The conference offered a rich, multidisciplinary perspective — ranging from the history of exploration to geography, archival research, and documentary storytelling. Among the key topics discussed were the ITALIA airship’s tragic crash, the HEIMEN-SUCAI expedition’s logbook, rare historical video footage, and the evolution of scientific settlements in Svalbard, from early expeditions to modern-day research stations.

The event shed light on a lesser-known yet captivating chapter of polar exploration, turning it into a powerful lesson in history, science, and human resilience.