Spain Invests €70 Million to Boost Space Technology Sector

Insider Brief:

• Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities has committed €70 million to advance the country’s space technology sector.
• The ministry launched a funding call for its Space Technology Programme which divides the funds into 2 parts – new development of projects and improvement of existing technologies.
• To qualify for funding, projects must involve consortia of two to six companies, with at least one being a small company.

Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (MICIU) has committed €70 million with support from the EU’s Covid-19 recovery fund to advance the country’s space technology sector as reported by ResearchProfessional News.

The ministry launched a funding call for its Space Technology Programme co-managed by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology and the Spanish Space Agency. The funding is divided into two main parts:

1. New Development Projects: €30 million is set aside for projects aimed at developing new products, processes, or services to enhance the production capacity of space systems. This funding is especially focused on projects related to the delivery of satellites into orbit.
2. Improvement of Existing Technologies: €40 million will go towards projects aimed at improving existing space technologies, with a particular focus on those with high disruptive potential.

To qualify for funding, projects must involve consortia of two to six companies, with at least one being a small company. This requirement aims to foster collaboration and ensure that smaller businesses have a role in the development of space technologies.

Science Minister Diana Morant discussed the government’s support for space technology, citing its significant opportunities and importance for securing Spain’s place in the sector.

This funding call is part of the broader PERTE Aerospace scheme, a public-private partnership set to invest €4.53 billion in Spain’s space technologies from 2021 to 2025. This initiative, backed by the EU Covid fund, aims to position the Spanish space industry as a key player in the global sector.