Pedro Sánchez underlines Spain's commitment to becoming a "European benchmark in the space sector"

Mutua Madrileña Auditorium, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, stressed that Spain can be "a European benchmark in the space sector" and "we are already beginning to be one", thanks to the fact that we are moving in the "right direction". A sector "that continues to grow" in our country and which is evidence of the "success of a courageous commitment, in which the Government of Spain has invested resources and means as never before", with public-private collaboration.

This was stated during the closing ceremony of the Space Congress "One Country, One Space", organized by the Spanish Association of Technology Companies of Defense, Security, Aeronautics and Space (TEDAE), held in Madrid, which was also attended by the Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant.

Pedro Sánchez used his speech to make two announcements. Firstly, he announced that the Government, through the Ministries of Defence and Industry, "will launch this year the Special Modernisation Programme to finance the development of IRIS Square, which will provide Spain with its own satellite capabilities, with national coverage, and secure communications in deployments of interest to national defence". The head of the Executive stressed that this will also represent "a great opportunity for the development and consolidation of the national industrial value chain, both in satellite manufacturing and in its ground segment". "It is about Europe making real progress towards true space sovereignty, consistent with its ambition to be sovereign in the strategic domains of the future," he added.

Secondly, the president announced that the European Space Astronomy Centre "will significantly expand its capabilities in Spain". It will do so by incorporating a Space Science Education and Outreach Centre to bring space closer to the public and inspire young people; a Centre to operate the Digital Library of the Universe, reinforcing ESA's role as an international scientific reference; and a Centre of Excellence in Space Sustainability, a pioneer in the comprehensive assessment of the life cycle of space systems.

Meeting between the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, along with the Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, and the Director General of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher | Pool Moncloa / Fernando Calvo

Pedro Sánchez also highlighted Spain's performance in the space sector, noting that R&D investment grew at a rate exceeding 17% in sales; space sector revenue reached around €1.5 billion in 2025; Spain has created nearly 8,000 highly skilled jobs in this sector; and in 2024, Spain was the second-largest European country in space venture capital, second only to Germany.

In his opinion, "some people think that space is the domain of a handful of eccentric millionaires playing at being gods and founding private colonies on Mars", but "that is different from what Europe and Spain are doing". "Megalomania and delusion, for them. For us, the common sense and responsibility of knowing that the only worthwhile space race is the one that improves people's lives here on Earth", he said.

In this sense, he affirmed that "the space race is not a race of egos, it is a race full of opportunities" and there are many reasons to approach it with ambition, mainly three. The first is "the real impact on our daily lives", as is the case with the Sentinel satellites of the European Copernicus programme, which "allow us to save lives". Second, because "the space industry is crucial for Europe's strategic autonomy". "Europe cannot be anyone's servant or slave. Europe must be master of its own destiny" and "this requires strong European companies, able to compete with the giants of other powers", he said. Third, "because it helps us to grow. And, above all, to grow better, because it forces us to focus on innovation, training and talent as levers for development".

In short, Sánchez asserted that "Spain not only can, Spain wants to be a true space power" and part of the path has already been taken, because "we made the right decisions at the right times": the Aerospace PERTE, which has mobilised more than 2.3 billion euros; the investment of more than 2.5 billion euros a year in grants; the dignity of vocational training; the record investment of 24 billion euros in R&D; making Spain the fourth largest contributor to the European Space Agency, with 455 million euros a year; and the creation of the Spanish Space Agency.

"We believe in a courageous Spain that can tackle everything. Including space," he concluded.

Non official translation