The acting director general of the Spanish Space Agency (ESA), Miguel Belló, has discussed the strategic opportunities and challenges faced by the organization. Speaking at a forum titled “the aerospace and defence industry in Spanish and European geostrategy”, Belló highlighted the prospects he envisions for the agency.
One of the main opportunities identified is the inclusion of new projects in the Aerospace PERTE, with a budget exceeding 5,000 million euros. These projects aim to generate synergies and optimize resources, positioning the Spanish space industry globally.
Another significant initiative is the pursuit of autonomy in access to space. Belló emphasized the need for the development of a national vector for launching small satellites. Two consortia, led by PLD Space and Pangea Aerospace, are currently working on the design of such a system. By the end of the year, their results will be evaluated, and development will proceed based on the most mature and feasible solution. The target is to have a prototype ready by December 2025.
The Atlantic Constellation is another important project, initially involving bilateral collaboration with Portugal and potentially expanding to include Greece and the United Kingdom. The goal is to deploy a network of at least 16 small satellites in low orbit to monitor climate change and manage emergencies during natural disasters.
From an industrial perspective, Belló stressed the need for satellite manufacturing to evolve and become more like the automotive industry. The aim is to enable mass production of satellites. In this regard, the European Space Agency (ESA) will launch a tender in November for the development and manufacture of eight out of the total 16 satellites assigned to Spain.
Additionally, Belló highlighted the importance of quantum keys for future security. The Secretary of State for Telecommunications is already engaged in a project with a budget of 125 million euros to establish a quantum key transmission system (QKD) from geostationary orbits.
These strategic opportunities and challenges demonstrate the Spanish Space Agency’s commitment to advancing the country’s presence in the space industry and ensuring its relevance in the global arena.
