I assess the outcome of CM25 as a fundamental strategic success. The decision to position Spain, for the first time, as the fourth-largest contributor to ESA—alongside Germany, France and Italy and ahead of the United Kingdom—represents a milestone that consolidates space as a strategic State priority. The €1.854 billion in new commitments are not merely an economic figure, but the expression of a firm conviction: space is essential for competitiveness, autonomy and national sovereignty.
My reading of Spain’s role is that of an actor that has reached a new level of maturity. From the AEE we have coordinated national participation with a clear and ambitious vision, defending a course we consider strategic for Europe’s future, ensuring that the contribution increase translates into leadership in programmes aligned with that vision.
We have helped drive the overall ambition of the Ministerial, demonstrating that Spain is a reliable partner and an essential engine in ESA’s new phase and in the future of the European space project.
Spain reaches strategic maturity at CM25, becomes fourth largest contributor to ESA and consolidates European leadership in autonomy, science, and space security”
CM25 has confirmed Europe’s ambition to strengthen strategic autonomy in space—from Earth observation to launchers and space security. In this new scenario, do you believe Spain is positioned to match that level of ambition and consolidate a leading role in the coming years?
Yes. CM25 has shown that Spain is fully prepared to meet the new level of European ambition and to consolidate a leading role in the coming years.
Our objectives in the negotiation were very clear: to increase the science budget, promote a more autonomous and strategic European vision, and strengthen Europe’s international relevance in the space domain.
A core priority has been to bolster autonomous access to space, both through decisive support for MIURA 5 and through our contribution to the evolution of Ariane 6 and Vega—key elements to ensure Europe has its own launchers and sovereign space transportation capability.
In parallel, Spain has prioritised strengthening security and resilience capabilities, especially in communications, navigation and Earth observation—areas that are fundamental for technological sovereignty and the protection of critical infrastructure.
Likewise, sustainability has been one of the central pillars of our strategy, both in space and on Earth, integrating climate action, improved management of climate-related emergencies and responsibility in the use of the space environment.
Thanks to this comprehensive approach, Spain is now well positioned to lead initiatives such as sovereign access to space, the new resilient Earth observation system, secure communications and navigation, scientific excellence, and advanced capabilities for space surveillance and debris management.
All of this consolidates our role as a key actor in shaping the future of European space.
Spain’s contribution reaches an unprecedented annual average of €455 million, opening a stable planning horizon through to 2030. In this context, what will be the major programmes and strategic lines that Spain and the AEE will promote through to 2028 and looking towards the next cycle, 2028–2034?
The financial stability secured through to 2030, with an annual average of €455M, is a decisive factor for driving long-term projects and laying the foundations for the 2028–2034 cycle.
The investment committed at CM25 has been strategically directed at reinforcing autonomy in critical areas, placing Spain in a fully aligned—and robustly prepared—position to respond to this new level of European ambition.
This commitment gives us a leading role in building Spanish and European sovereignty, with key capabilities for security and resilience from and in space.
Within this framework, the AEE will prioritise five major programme lines that consolidate our strategic vision:
Sovereign access to space: Spain is decisively driving the development of MIURA 5, whose entry into service planned for 2026 will be a historic milestone, enabling Spain for the first time to have a national access-to-space capability, complementary to the European ecosystem.
This commitment—articulated through the European Launcher Challenge and reinforced by €169M invested in Space Transportation—is complemented by contributions to the evolution of Ariane 6 and Vega, ensuring our industrial presence in European launchers and strengthening the continent’s strategic autonomy.
Leadership in the new resilient Earth Observation system: Spain takes on a reference role in Europe’s observation architecture, leading Element 2 of the new resilient Earth observation system, focused on the expansion of the Atlantic Constellation (ESCA+).
This initiative will be a precursor to the future EOGS, the new governmental component of Copernicus oriented towards security, resilience and climate management. With this, Spain positions itself at the forefront of one of the strategic pillars of Europe’s future observation and emergency response system.
Secure Communications and Navigation: Spain’s leadership in the LEO-PNT constellation and in the low layer of the IRIS² programme places our industry at the core of the technologies that will ensure European independence in navigation, secure communications, and air and maritime traffic management.
These capabilities complement and extend those already provided by Galileo, equipping the EU with critical tools for strategic autonomy and operational security.
Science: With an investment of €270.1M, we ensure our research groups lead flagship missions such as ARRAKIHS and maintain relevant participation in ESA’s future scientific missions.
This commitment strengthens Spanish scientific excellence and ensures sustained returns in leadership, results and technological capability.
Sustainability and Space Surveillance: Spain decisively reinforces the sustainability and Space Safety area with the objective of becoming a European benchmark. This includes leadership of the CAT mission aimed at removing objects in orbit; the transformation of ESAC into a European hub for space sustainability integrating ecodesign and life-cycle analysis; the creation of the Spanish Space Weather Centre, essential for the resilience of critical infrastructure; and the strengthening of national Space Surveillance and Tracking capabilities, consolidating the evolution of the S3TOC into a world-class operational reference centre for the protection of orbital assets.
Spain’s industry arrives at this Ministerial at a moment of sustained growth and with clear strengths—from Earth observation to participation in launchers. Which segments do you identify as strategic to maintain that leadership? And in which other segments do you see room for Spain to take a leap and become a European or global benchmark?
To maintain leadership, I identify the following strategic priorities:
- Development of complete systems and missions, maintaining and expanding the capabilities developed over the last decade.
High-performance payloads and subsystems: our industry is highly competitive in communications systems, electronics, GNC, optics and scientific instrumentation.
Satellite Data Processing (Downstream): the ability to transform space data into value-added services for society, supporting agriculture, transport, resource management and security.
To make a leap and become a European or global benchmark, I see a clear opportunity in:
- MIURA 5 and investment in Space Transportation to consolidate a recurrent, highly responsive European launch service.
- Enhanced Navigation Systems and PNT Services: leading the deployment and operation of constellations such as LEO-PNT would provide a significant technological advantage in high-precision positioning and timing services.
Access to Space (Launch Platforms)
Space Surveillance and Orbital Remediation: leadership in missions such as CAT gives us the opportunity to pioneer sustainability and in-orbit servicing technologies, an emerging market with high global demand.
Spain is committed to comprehensive systems, satellite data, and its own launch vehicles to strengthen its industrial leadership and open up new global space markets”
