This Tuesday’s Council of Ministers approved the creation of the Space Council. It is a high-level interministerial body that will accelerate and ensure the launch of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), which is the equivalent of NASA in America. The goal is to be operational by early 2023.
The Minister of Science and Innovation Diana Morant is not commenting on the controversy surrounding the location where the ESA headquarters would be built despite it being controversial. The territories interested in hosting the project include Seville, Cebreros, Puertollano, Ciudad Real, Leon, Teruel, and the towns Tres Cantos, Robledo de Chavela and Robledo de Chavela in Madrid. The executive rejected the Madrid proposal at the outset, as it was incompatible with its plan for decentralizing State institutions. This surprised many people from the aerospace industry and especially Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid.
This initiative is part the Strategic Project for Aerospace Economic Recovery and Transformation, which will mobilise 4,533 millions by 2025. According to government data, the aerospace sector generates over 150,000 jobs and 1.2% of our GDP. It contributes about 500 million euros per year to space programs. These are mainly managed by the Center for Industrial Technological Development.
AEE was created because the aerospace industry wanted to improve our country’s position in the sector. Spain is fourth in European Union space power and fifth in contribution to European Space Agency (ESA). However, it is one of few European countries without its own space agency. This allows us to lose weight in ESA, and gives us many opportunities to take part in international space agreements.
Morant explained that AEE will be located at the Ministry of Science and Innovation. However, it will also have the presence of other ministries. It will coordinate all national space activities and Spanish participation in international programmes.
Spain joins a long list 70 countries with their own space agency such as France’s CNES, Italy’s ASI, Germany’s DLR, and the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) among others.