Since its creation was first announced, the Spanish Space Agency has garnered the support of the entire Spanish aerospace sector”
Since its creation was first announced, the Spanish Space Agency has garnered the support of the entire Spanish aerospace sector. The recent appointment of Juan Carlos Cortés as its new director, following former director Miguel Belló and acting director Juan Sánchez Delgado, has also been well-received by most considering his long track-record dedicated to the development of the national Space industry and his deep knowledge of the Spanish and European administrations.
This said, Cortés’ goal of bolstering the importance of our country in space at an international level will inevitably be faced by several major challenges. It will be essential in fostering growth and the generation of quality jobs across its entire value chain.
Filling its vacancies to become fully operational
The first objective is to have the agency successfully fill 30% of the technical positions of its organizational structure which, one year after the approval of its incorporation in the Official Journal of the State, remain vacant. The establishment of the agency in Seville, far from where logic dictates that most of its staff resides, has forestalled the recruitment rate.
However, the new recruitment drives will be a final push for the agency to achieve its ideal critical mass.
Leading a space strategy that drives competitiveness in the sector
Spain is a key stakeholder for the European continent in this field, given that it exports 80% of its total production mainly to Europe. Space sector companies in Spain make up almost 1% of the industrial Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and currently employ close to 6,000 people, being the fifth country in Europe with the highest number of people working in this industry. Consolidating the National Space Strategy, which will ultimately result in the enactment of the Space Law, will position our country at the forefront of the space industry and will be essential in fostering growth and the generation of quality jobs across its entire value chain.
Spain is key in this field for the European continent since it exports 80% of its total production mainly to Europe”.
Cementing its position as an international representative
One of the most recurrent claims by the sector was the need to have an authoritative representative to uniquely represent the interests of our country abroad. Cortés’ profile as the ESA Board Vice President and leader of the Spanish delegation within that organization will help overcome that challenge.
Achieve a higher Spanish contribution in the ESA Ministerial Council
The space sector is facing an unprecedented boom driven by the development of solutions and services, telecommunication sovereignty, the threat of industries from other regions with significant investment resources and the ever-closer horizon of the Moon and Mars exploration missions. In light of this, it is paramount to keep up with the efforts that other European countries will undoubtedly materialise in the form of contributions to ESA, in order to position ourselves as the internationally relevant stakeholder that we always intended to be.
Increasing investment in space research and development
In general, R&D investments have the support of the citizenry. However, Spain is still far from fulfilling its commitment to Europe of allocating at least 2% of its GDP. Its investment is still between 1.4 and 1.5% of the GDP, despite a lukewarm, yet constant growth since 2015.
According to information obtained by TEDAE, in Spain, investment by companies in space-related R&D remained over 17% of their turnover during the last few years, though it should be accompanied by a sustained investment by the state.
In May 2024, the government’s decision to spend 2.4 billion in space projects until 2027—half of which is reserved for Spain’s contribution to ESA—as part of the state’s Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research plan was well received by the sector. Worth mentioning as part of that plan are the sub-programs aimed at boosting investment in innovation and technological strengthening, and the one aimed at the generation of technical-scientific knowledge and experimental development, which the Spanish Space Agency will have to manage through the Programa Tecnológico Espacial 2024 (Space Technology Program, PTE)
To address this challenge, Juan Carlos Cortés has significant experience as director of International Programs and, before that, as director of Global Innovative Markets of the CDTI. Additionally, he was charged with boosting and managing Spain’s participation in the EU’s R&D Program, in a technological cooperation program in Europe (EUREKA) and in Latin America (IBEROEKA), which will be highly useful when facing this challenge.
Improving the coordination between sector stakeholders
The need to bridge the gap between scientists and industry has always been a hot topic. The dichotomy that exists between what is requested and what can be delivered has always been present in the space sector. It is because of this that the agency aims to bring these two sectors together to foster a better understanding between them. Only then can the seeds of new space missions—with a high Spanish scientific and industrial content—be planted to blossom into a leadership position in Europe and the world.
Fostering Spain’s participation in international space programs
In Cortés’ opinion, Spain’s participation in international space programs is nothing new, and besides, as the former Director of International Programs at the CDTI, he also has the right experience to face this challenge. In this regard, the AEE fosters the collaboration with other agencies by means of bilateral and multilateral agreements that were enacted to support the development of the Spanish space sector through the participation in missions in direct partnership with other countries.
The development of key space technologies implies significant potential benefits for the Spanish space sector and is essential for its future”
These programs favour national strategic interests that go beyond the mission itself and enable Spanish companies to take part of internationally relevant projects with a significant role. In other words, the agency will need to create the necessary framework for Spanish companies to be able to access those programs.
Development of key space technologies
The development of key space technologies implies significant potential benefits for the Spanish space sector and is essential for its future. Training levels in companies depend on the support of those initiatives by the Spanish Space Agency. All of this leads to the generation of the necessary competitiveness to offer an added value that others cannot.
Technologies such as the active antennas of the SpainSat NG, the new radar of Paz II and quantum communication are examples of these new technologies that the AEE will need to support as part of its efforts to guarantee the safety and sustainability of space activities in Spain.
Promoción de la concienciación social sobre el Espacio
Cada español utiliza, sin ser consciente de ello, entre 40 y 70 satélites al día. En España se gastan aproximadamente seis euros por persona al año en el Espacio, nada que ver con los casi 15 de Francia o los 75 de Estados Unidos. No mucha gente sabe que el electrocardiograma, la visión nocturna o los pañales se originaron en el Espacio. Es por eso que el papel didáctico que tendrá que desarrollar Juan Carlos Cortés ha de incluir a toda la sociedad, desde los más jóvenes (los ingenieros y votantes del mañana) hasta los mayores.
Bossing Spain’s space economy
The importance of the space sector as a driver of a country’s economy is undeniable, considering that all it has to offer are benefits. The return on investment of space is around three euros per invested euro. It generates more R&D than any other sector, in addition to having a high exporting index, which benefits the country’s balance of payments. It generates high quality jobs and creates an industrial and institutional fabric such as universities and research centres all around it.
The challenge faced by Cortés is ensuring that the entire network managed by the agency works toward improving those qualities, not only to strengthen the industry to make it internationally powerful, but also so that its role as an economic driver becomes larger and generates more wealth for the country.
