The second Canary Islands Aerospace Congress kicks off in a few days, with its official program presented at the Elder Museum of Science and Technology in Las Palmas. However, the Canary Islands Government's key message—that the archipelago's aerospace future "is already underway"—finds its most tangible echo in the south of the island, the historic enclave where collaboration with NASA was forged in the 60s, according to the Deputy Minister of Industry, Felipe Alfonso El Jaber (PP).
The event served to reinforce a dual need: to build a solid path through public-private collaboration and to honor a legacy. The tracking stations that in the past supported key NASA missions globally, and whose infrastructure was primarily located in the south, are the starting point for this new impetus. Juan Carlos Betancor García emphasized that the sector cannot move forward without the firm and joint commitment of public institutions and private companies. The goal is ambitious: to incorporate a new and robust economic sector into the Canary Islands' productive fabric, linked to the aerospace field.
The return to the southern axis-Maspalomas
Although the presentation was held in the North, the realization of this strategic vision is strongly projected onto the south of Gran Canaria. This region, due to its history and the existence of specific infrastructure (such as satellite communications centers and technology parks associated with the defense and surveillance sectors), is destined to be the hub for the execution of future aerospace and technological development projects.
This Congress seeks precisely to continue the work begun more than half a century ago, transforming the legacy of the 60s tracking stations into an aerospace platform unique to the archipelago. For this technological decentralization to the south to be effective, Betancor García emphasized the vital importance of the training roadmap. Preparing local talent is essential so that the industry that establishes itself does not depend on external human capital, thus ensuring that young Canarians lead and sustain the new technological economy in the southern part of Gran Canaria.
