More and more countries are joining the space race, and Spain is no exception. Space exploration is one of the most exciting and challenging human adventures of our time. The Spanish Aerospace Agency, known as INTA (National Institute of Aerospace Technology), plays a fundamental role in space research, development and exploration.

The Spanish Aerospace Agency has its roots in the National Institute of Aerospace Technology, founded in 1942. During its first years, INTA focused on the research and development of aerospace technologies and international cooperation in the field of aviation. Over time, INTA evolved to address issues related to space research.

In 1986, the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) was created as a separate entity to coordinate Spain’s space activities. This agency was later merged with INTA in 2001 to form what is known today as the Spanish Aerospace Agency. Since then, AEE/INTA has been at the forefront of space research and has played an essential role in the development of the space industry in Spain.

In 1942, faced with the need to have a center dedicated to aeronautical research, the government of Spain created the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA), which soon began collaborating with figures from the stature of Theodore von Kármán, considered the greatest aeronautics specialist of the 20th century.

However, in its beginnings, INTA went far beyond its mission, becoming an authentic industrial laboratory acting as a National Research Agency, thus INTA formed the appropriate research teams to carry out its functions, assuming in Its first functions are the control of commercial aviation devices.

Thus, years later, INTA participated in NASA’s first manned program, marking a qualitative leap in the institute’s activity in the 1960s, gaining relevance with the incorporation of personnel deployed in Maspalomas in the development of the Gemini and Apollo.

Starting in the 1970s, collaboration with NASA was accentuated with the presence of the Spanish Institute in programs such as Mariner IV, Apollo 11, which took man to the Moon, or the Viking probes, although the program that marked the entry of Spain in the group of countries with a presence in the space race, was the development of the first Spanish satellite and its subsequent launch into space, INTASAT, although it took us more than twenty years to put the next satellite into orbit, being some of the most relevant collaborations carried out in recent years are the following;

• MINISAT 01 Mission (1997): This was the first space mission developed and built completely in Spain. MINISAT 01 demonstrated Spain’s ability to design and build satellites and laid the foundation for future missions.
• INGENIO satellite (2020): In collaboration with ESA, ESA launched the INGENIO satellite, an Earth observation satellite designed to provide high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface. This mission has applications in cartography, agriculture, natural resource management and more.
• SEOSAT-Ingenio satellite (2020): Together with the INGENIO satellite, the SEOSAT-Ingenio satellite was launched, carrying optical and infrared instruments for Earth observation. These satellites reinforce Spain’s presence in space and its ability to collect crucial data.
• Participation in the International Space Station (ISS): Spain has collaborated in several scientific experiments carried out on the ISS and has contributed to the station’s infrastructure. This cooperation allows Spanish scientists to carry out research in microgravity conditions and advance in various scientific fields.

In 1991, the Spanish Government approved the participation of INTA as responsible for fulfilling the supply commitments acquired with the inclusion of Spain in the COSPAS-SARSAT program, of a humanitarian nature, dedicated to the search and rescue of people in danger anywhere. of the planet.

Over the years, the Spanish Aerospace Agency has participated in a number of notable space missions in collaboration with international space agencies, such as NASA and ESA (European Space Agency), and has contributed to the research and development of technologies cutting-edge space, including satellites, remote observing systems and launch vehicles. Furthermore, Spain is an active member of ESA, which plays a crucial role in European space research.

Currently the National Institute of Aerospace Technology has a solid structure made up of four space stations, three technological campuses and five test centers distributed throughout the country, in which they carry out functions such as the monitoring and control of satellites, meteorological missions, testing with unmanned spacecraft, testing and certification of aircraft components, testing of aircraft, weapons, missiles, projectiles and ammunition, as well as Earth observation missions and maritime rescue alarm receiver.

Likewise, INTA has the Astrobiology Center located in Torrejón de Ardoz, dedicated to researching the conditions that make life possible in the Universe, being the first center in the world associated with the NASA Astrobiology Center, with which Share projects and objectives.

In 2015, with the approval of the integration into INTA of the Institutes of Hydrodynamic Experiences (CEHI-PAR), Tecnológico La Marañosa (ITM) and the General Marvá Engineers Laboratory (LABINGE), which has put an end to the existing dispersion and With the aim of increasing efficiency and improving R&D&I indicators, INTA has become an R&D, testing and certification center, made up of more than 1,500 professionals and with a budget of more than 130 million euros. .

The future of the Spanish Aerospace Agency promises exciting advances and opportunities. Spain is investing in the training of a highly qualified workforce in the field of space technology and in the expansion of its satellite launch capabilities. Furthermore, the space industry has become a growing economic engine in Spain, creating jobs and promoting innovation.

Active participation in international space projects and collaboration with leading space agencies around the world will continue to be an integral part of ESA/INTA’s strategy. In addition, Spain is exploring the possibility of taking part in future manned space missions and expanding its presence in space exploration.

The Spanish Aerospace Agency has come a long way from its humble beginnings as INTA in the 1940s. Over the years, it has demonstrated its ability to innovation and international collaboration in space exploration and research, adapting to the challenges of each moment, redefining its activity based on technological changes or the progress of the national industry, contributing in a very notable way to the creation of the Aerospace sector in Spain, adapting to its growth and collaborating in the development and implementation of activities capable of creating technological synergies or constituting an important support for aerospace activity, as is the case of automotive or metrology.

Spain’s commitment to space research not only benefits nationally, but also contributes to the expansion of human knowledge and the advancement of space technology globally. As Spain continues to look to the stars, its Spanish Aerospace Agency will continue to play an essential role in the journey to the future in space.