The present and future of space engineering and the space industry came under the spotlight in the second Space Engineering Congress, organized by the Professional Association of Aeronautics Engineers of Spain (Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos de España: COIAE) with the collaboration of Association of Aeronautics Engineers of Spain (Asociación de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos de España: AIAE)

The congress, held at the end of November 2017 in Madrid’s Engineering Institute of Spain (Instituto de la Ingeniería de España), attracted a turnout of over 70 speakers from companies, universities and institutions within this sector, addressing today’s key space-engineering projects and the current situation of the sector.

GMV took an active part in different sections, its representatives covering many of today’s hot topics such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems, augmentation systems, space monitoring and surveillance and command and control systems for major constellations.

GMV’s General Manager – Aerospace, Jorge Potti, speaking also as Vice-president of the Spanish Association of Space, Aeronautics and Defense Technology Companies (Asociación Española de Empresas Tecnológicas de Defensa, Aeronáutica y Espacio: TEDAE), took part in the panel discussion on national strategy. GMV was also present in the panel discussion on Innovation, together with ESA’s Director of Science, Álvaro Giménez Cañete.

The young startup PLD Space, backed up by GMV’s corporate support in its quest of “democratizing” space access, also input its experience at this event.

The Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos de España, founded in 1965, promotes a free-competition professional framework for aeronautics engineering, offering consultancy and advice while also defending its professional interests. With events like this it aims not only to take stock of the sector and serve as mediator between the various stakeholders but also to draw in new sources of investment and raise public awareness of the sheer importance of R&D initiatives in the space sector.