Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a statute regulating the activities of its recently launched national space agency.
Approved on March 7, the statute formally grants the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) approval to commence its operations. In September, when the creation of the agency was initially approved, a one-year deadline was placed on the project. With Tuesday’s announcement, the country has managed to achieve its goal more than six months ahead of schedule.
The new agency will manage Spain’s strategic action in the field of space, both from the point of view of its technological development and the use of space in areas such as security, earth observation, geolocation, and telecommunications.
Based in Seville, the agency will have a budget of €700 million for its first year of operation and an initial staff of 75. It will be attached to the country’s Ministries of Science and Innovation and Defence. The agency’s presidency will be assumed by the individual in charge of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, which is currently Diana Morant.
Small satellite launcher funding
During her address following the approval of the statute, Morant also highlighted the country’s commitment to fund the development of a small satellite launcher. The call was published on January 30 and seeks to make €45 million in funding available to launch startups for the development of a small satellite launcher which the minister called “the commercial future of the space sector.”
The funding is part of Spain’s Strategic Project for Aerospace Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE), which is part of the country’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan which is financed through the EU’s NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Mechanism.
The PERTE initiative has made €4.5 billion in funding available to promote science and innovation in the aerospace industry with the aim of responding to climate change, global security, and the digital transition among other key strategic areas.
Morant stated that the small satellite launcher project would enable Spain to be the “first European country to have a microsatellite launcher.” Considering the progress of the launch startups in the country when compared to their European counterparts, this seems unlikely. Germany or the United Kingdom are likely to beat them to the post on that one.
Currently, PLD Space would be the most likely choice to receive the €45 million in funding, if the agency intends to provide the full amount to a single provider. Other contenders could be Pangea Aerospace and maybe even Zero 2 Infinity, which has struggled to secure funding to continue the development of its rockoon launch system. Celestia Aerospace will also likely be jockeying to receive the funding despite the company appearing to be nothing more than a shell.
The agency and its new president do appear to have an ambitious outlook for the future of AAE and the Spanish space sector. It will be interesting to see if the country can deliver on those ambitions.
