The Spanish Space Agency aims to promote science, innovation and technology related to space in European and international excellence.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Division is responsible for R&D&I and technological developments in all fields of the space sector. It is responsible for:
- Promoting and developing space technologies and incorporating R&D&I programmes at all stages of the value chain.
- Fostering scientific research in the field of space and promoting programmes to enhance scientific and technological knowledge of space.
- Coordinating ESA science programmes, including the Science programme and the corresponding element of the Earth Observation and Exploration programmes.
- Coordinating ESA technological development programmes, in particular the GSTP, TRP and InCubed programmes.
- Managing public aid award procedures for research, technological development and space innovation and ensuring the availability of publicly owned strategic infrastructures for the development, operation and applications of space programmes.
- Promoting programmes to increase scientific and technological knowledge in the field of space.
- Collaborating with universities, public research organisations, and other public institutions and companies to promote the commercial exploitation of state-of-the-art technologies
- Fostering collaboration between industry and research organisations.
- Supporting the creation and consolidation of space technology-based companies.
- Supporting the manufacture of pre-series products and the marketing of new products and processes, especially in foreign markets.
- Promoting Spanish participation in international space science and technology cooperation programmes, as well as pursuing appropriate scientific, technological and industrial returns from these programmes.
- Developing programmes to promote innovation in the Spanish space industry, with particular support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Preparing, monitoring and maintaining the technological maturity map of national space technologies.
Coordinating with science, technology and innovation organisations to pool the interests of all stakeholders in the sector.