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A dozen professors, lecturers, PhDs and experts from different universities will present academic, aerospace, technological and innovative projects during the first on-site day and the second virtual session
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Universities play a vital role in the aerospace ecosystem, providing innovation, research and training of specialized talent
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The Cartuja Auditorium in Seville will host from March 17 to 21, 2025 the first edition of ‘New Space & Solutions’, a pioneering meeting in which the ‘New Space’ industry will come together to jointly explain the solutions they provide to citizens
Universities, young talent, training and the needs of companies for specialized manpower will be the protagonists in the first edition of ‘New Space & Solutions’, where nearly a dozen universities will present their academic projects and innovative ideas related to ‘New Space’. The Cartuja Auditorium -managed by Yventu- will host this pioneering event to be held from March 17 to 21 with two face-to-face and three virtual days in which leading companies in the aerospace and technology industry, institutions, associations and experts in the space and satellite sector will transfer all their knowledge.
In this context, universities play a key role in the aerospace ecosystem, providing innovation, research and training of specialized talent. They are the main source of highly trained aerospace engineers, scientists and technicians, who, in turn, establish partnerships with companies that demand a specialized workforce.
The Department of University, Research and Innovation of the Regional Government of Andalusia plays a key role in boosting the Andalusian aerospace ecosystem, promoting research, innovation and the training of highly specialized talent. Through initiatives such as InnovAndalucía, which mobilizes 59 million euros in incentives for strategic sectors, the Regional Ministry reinforces its commitment to technological development and the connection between universities and business. In the framework of New Space & Solutions, its participation will be essential to highlight the opportunities offered by the region in this sector, facilitating the meeting between institutions, researchers and companies with the aim of consolidating Andalusia as a benchmark in the aerospace and satellite industry.
New Space’ boom offers a horizon of opportunities
Universities are the foundation of the evolution and future of the aerospace industry, combining training, research and innovation to drive key technological advances and all those present at ‘New Space & Solutions’ focus their academic work on this training of talent. “The space sector is living a moment of historic transformation, driven by the rise of ‘New Space’ and the increasing integration of advanced technologies. This has opened up a horizon of opportunities for young engineers in areas such as aeronautical design, space exploration and advanced systems management,” says Javier Brey, director of the Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering at Loyola University, who will speak during the second day of ‘New Space & Solutions’ about innovation and talent for the future of space, as well as the university’s commitment to the creation of the new Degree in Aerospace Engineering, a program designed to train professionals who will lead the new era of ‘New Space’.
Also during the second day of this meeting, Betsaida Alexandre, a collaborating doctoral professor at CEU Fernando III University, will share how this center promotes comprehensive training through its mentoring program, combining academic excellence with the development of ‘soft skills’, ensuring that students are not only great professionals, but also resilient and innovative leaders, ready to successfully integrate into the technology and aerospace sector.
Andalusian universities, driving force in aerospace training
The fourth day of ‘New Space & Solutions’ is reserved entirely for universities, young talent and innovative projects that from university training centers are being carried out to, among many other things, take advantage of the resources offered by space to make everyday life on Earth easier. Not surprisingly, communicating what the ‘New Space’ does for citizens is one of the main objectives of this event that will place Seville at the world epicenter of the aerospace industry.
A good example of this is the Alpha Mission, a private initiative formed by several private companies and the universities of Seville and Cadiz to design, launch and operate a cubesat called Alpha3. It is a 100% Andalusian artificial satellite that will operate from a LEO orbit providing valuable services to the Andalusian society. Fernando Muñoz Chavero, University Professor and lecturer at the University of Seville, and Darío González, CEO of Indaero Grupo Emergy and promoter of Alpha Mission, will share with all attendees the payloads and phases of a mission that seeks to “generate knowledge in the region and encourage the study of these technologies in schools and institutes, so that in the future there will be an Andalusian ecosystem linked to the satellite sector“, says Darío González. “The Alpha Mission demonstrates that in Andalusia we can design and build satellites from scratch. This opens up job opportunities in the aerospace sector for many professional profiles, from engineers to scientists,” suggests Fernando Muñoz Chavero.
Andalusia is positioning itself as a leader in the aerospace industry with specialized centers in Cadiz, Seville and Huelva, in addition to developments in Malaga, Cordoba and Jaen. “This will allow our companies to grow and offer better job opportunities, boosting the sector in Spain.” So says José Manuel Andújar, Professor of Systems Engineering and Automation at the University of Huelva and director of the Master’s Degree in High Performance RPAS/UAS, who will speak about the Master’s Degree in Unmanned Aerial Systems (R-PAS/UAS) offered by the University of Huelva in collaboration with INTA.
Space as a solution for emergencies
Delia Rico, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Technology and Software Engineering (ITIS) of the University of Malaga, will open the day by presenting the integration of 6G and satellite networks in the Victoria network in the context of the European 6G Sandbox project. “The goal of 6G Sandbox is to create a European test ecosystem for 6G networks. The Trial Network allows combining terrestrial and satellite paths to guarantee connectivity in rural areas or in emergencies when the terrestrial network fails,” said Delia Rico. María del Carmen Muñoz Rodríguez, Professor of International Public Law and Director of the AstroÁndalus University Chair in Aerospace and Astronomical Studies at the University of Jaén, will explain the role of universities as an actor involved in outer space, its regulation and norms, as well as the study of space from different perspectives, especially in the field of law. “Space poses challenges and opportunities that require a clear and adaptable regulation to the evolution of the sector. In this sense, collaboration between States, companies and civil society is essential to ensure a sustainable and beneficial use of outer space,” said María del Carmen Muñoz Rodríguez.
Satellite observation in agriculture and oceans
Francisco Javier Mesas, PhD in Engineering from the University of Cordoba, will share his point of view on the value of remote Earth observation through satellite images in the agroforestry sector, which is called Agriculture 4.0. Javier Mesas also predicts a paradigm shift: “Instead of buying technology, farmers will hire technological services, such as processed satellite images or automated machinery,” he says. A similar topic will be presented by Manuel Angel Aguilar, University Professor and lecturer at the University of Almeria, who will address how satellite images contribute to intensive agriculture in Almeria, based on various research projects such as Greenhouse SAT, Sentinel Greenhouse and others in progress.
For his part, Jesús Gómez Enri, Full Professor at the University of Cadiz, will talk about the work of his research group that has been working for years with satellite data applied to the oceans and land, while he will share some data extracted from his observations. “We believe in the importance of bringing remote sensing closer to society, so it is necessary to reduce the gap between research and its application in society,” Gómez Enri advances.
Young talent ‘made in Spain
One of the most interesting projects to be seen in ‘New Space & Solutions’ comes from a team of between 50 and 70 students from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Francesc Coello, director of the Faraday Rocketry project, will share the work of this group of young people dedicated to the design, construction and launch of sounding rockets. “Our new challenge is to be the first European student team to launch a rocket into space and for this we have designed two models: Origin and Karman“, says Francesc Coello.
All presentations can be followed through ‘The Observatory’. The digital platform of Medina Media Events, in the style of an on-demand service, where each intervention will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for free.
The first edition of ‘New Space & Solutions’ is organized by Medina Media Events with the collaboration of the City of Seville and the Department of University, Research and Innovation of the Andalusian Regional Government and has the support of Rohde & Schwarz, ALTER, Ansys, Augusta Abogados, CT Ingenieros, DEKRA, Integrasys, Kistler, Orbital EOS, PARSEC, Proexca (Government of the Canary Islands), Space-Aero, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, CEU Universidad Fernando III, among others.