- The forum ‘where we communicate what New Space does for citizens’ has made a mediatic debut with 600 registered professionals.
- A total of 85 top-level speakers, including three astronauts, made up an agenda in which local, regional, national and European administrations, international space agencies, associations, universities and dozens of businesses and companies from the aerospace industry participated.
- One of the highlights of the event was the first-ever connection from Andalusia to the International Space Station (ISS) with astronaut Nichole Ayers.
- The director of the Spanish Space Agency (ESA), Juan Carlos Cortés, was Speaker of Honour and the Spanish ESA astronaut Pablo Ávarez was Guest of Honour at an event which also featured a connection from Houston with Axiom Space’s chief astronaut Michael López-Alegría, a US national of Spanish origin.
Seville has been the world capital of space for a week. A total of 590 registered professionals (on-site and virtual) and more than 300 registered companies allowed ‘New Space & amp; Solutions’ to close its first edition with figures that confirm the boom in the aerospace industry, both in Andalusia and nationally and internationally.
A total of 500 attendees met during the two days held in the Cartuja Auditorium -managed by Yventu-, while the total number of registered in person and virtually amounted to 600 professionals.
Specifically, 313 companies and entities participated in the first edition of ‘New Space & Solutions’, with participants and companies from 18 countries: Germany, Argentina, Bahrain, Belgium, Chile, United Arab Emirates, Spain, United States, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Portugal, United Kingdom, Dominican Republic, Sweden and Switzerland.
New Space & Solutions’ took flight with the celebration of its first edition in Seville, headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency (ESA), and was attended by its director, Juan Carlos Cortés, as Honorary Speaker. He was accompanied by the Spanish ESA astronaut Pablo Álvarez, who was Guest of Honor and who is continuing his training to travel to the International Space Station before 2030. In addition, the event featured Axiom Space’s chief astronaut of US nationality and Spanish origin, Michael López-Alegría.
First ever connection to the ISS from Andalusia
One of the highlights of the event was the first ever connection from Andalusia to the International Space Station (ISS), a milestone that reinforces the region’s commitment to the aerospace industry. The opening day featured a live connection with astronaut Nichole Ayers, a member of the new crew that took over from Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. Ayers held a conversation with institutional representatives of the Junta de Andalucía and the City Council of Seville in which she shared her first impressions from the space station, where she will remain for six months in what she described as “the most wonderful trip of her entire life”.
Together with the ESA, the Portuguese Space Agency, ESA, NASA, JAXA and the Italian Space Agency participated in this event, which was supported by the City Council of Seville and the Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Regional Ministry of University, Science and Innovation. Representatives from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Regional Government of Andalusia; the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU); the CDTI Innovation; the European Union Agency for the Space Program; the European Commission; and the EBU, as well as a large number of private companies, universities, institutions and associations, among others, also took part in the event.
Seville, at the forefront of the Aerospace Industry
Seville, headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE) since 2024, has established itself as a benchmark in the aerospace industry. Its director, Juan Carlos Cortés, was Speaker of Honor at the opening ceremony, where he highlighted the “privileged situation” in which the aerospace sector finds itself in Spain and especially in the Andalusian capital. “Spain is at the highest level and its growth in the value chain has been constant”, assured Juan Carlos Cortés, who detailed that “the Spanish Space Agency has managed 580 million euros in space in 2024”.
Álvaro Pimentel, Deputy Mayor of Seville, inaugurated and welcomed all the participants to the Andalusian capital, reaffirming the “commitment of the Seville City Council to facilitate the start-up of innovative companies to make Seville the epicenter of the sector in southern Europe” with projects such as the ESA-BIC start-up incubator, which will soon be up and running.
The Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Regional Ministry of University, Research and Innovation, reaffirmed at the same time its commitment to the aerospace industry and technological innovation in the region with the intervention of Lorena Garrido, Deputy Minister of University, Research and Innovation, who detailed that “the Regional Ministry allocates to the aerospace sector an amount of 72 million euros through various public aid programs and actions with the aim of promoting innovation and continue contributing to its ability to transform the Andalusian economy”. For his part, Jorge Paradela, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Regional Government of Andalusia, highlighted the importance of space for our daily life and emphasized that “space is one of the best industrial opportunities that Andalusia has to offer”.
Inspiration, innovation and alliances: keys to the meeting in Seville
Collaboration between the public and private sectors, the visibility of innovative projects with an immediate potential impact on life on Earth, and the prominence of female talent were three of the main themes of the first edition of ‘New Space & Solutions’. The convergence between institutions and companies, together with initiatives that take advantage of space resources to transform our daily lives, were the focus of many of the interventions. The testimonies of 14 women leaders in the aerospace sector also shone, who shared their professional experiences and sent inspiring messages to the new generations.
Five days with significant media coverage
The first edition of ‘New Space Solutions’ has had extensive international, national, regional and local media coverage: TVE and Radio Nacional de España (RNE), Canal Sur Noticias, Canal Sur Radio and Andalucía Directo, Cadena Ser, Onda Cero, Europa Press and Europa Press TV, EFE, NASA+, ABC, La Vanguardia, El Español, Diario de Sevilla, El Correo, El Diario Vasco, HOY, Canarias7, El Norte de Castilla, Todo Alicante, Diario Sur, El Comercio, La Voz de Galicia, La Razón, 20 Minutos, Prensa Latina, Cibersur, Infoespacial, Gente Digital, Viva Ediciones, TelePrensa, Capital. es, Vanguardia de Sevilla, Notimérica, Andalucía Información, Diario Siglo XXI, Diario Economía, Revista Transformación Digital, NoticasDe, Elegir Hoy, Radio La Isla, Vivir Ediciones, El Referente, Atlántico Hoy, Canarias 24 Horas, Noticias Press, La Provincia, El Día, La Voz de Lanzarote, El Enfoque, Al Navío, Sevilla Informa, Novaciencia, Huelva Red, Lenoticias, Burgos Conecta and El Mira, among others.
All the presentations will be available for on-demand viewing through ‘El Observatorio’, the digital platform of Medina Media Events, where each intervention will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, free of charge.
The first edition of ‘New Space & Solutions’ was organised by Medina Media Events with the collaboration of Seville City Council and the Department of University, Research and Innovation of the Regional Government of Andalusia and was attended by the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), Portuguese Space Agency, ESA, NASA, JAXA, Italian Space Agency, Airbus, European Commission, EUSPA, EBU, NEREUS, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; CDTI Innovation, Regional Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines; Regional Ministry of Sustainability, Environment and Blue Economy; Regional Ministry of Economy, Finance and European Funds; Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, CATEC, Ametic, ORBEX, CTA, B2Space, BULL, Hisdesat, Hispasat, Hi Iberia, Indaero, INTA, AstroEmociones, Novaindef, Open Cosmos, Sceye, Solar MEMS, Telespazio, WIA-E, Asociación ‘Ellas Vuelan Alto’, Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, University of Seville, University of Huelva, University of Malaga, University of Cordoba, University of Cadiz, University of Almeria, University of Jaen, School of Engineering of the US, Polytechnic University of Valencia, University of Surrey, the community of analogous astronauts, as well as the PCT Cartuja, CanalSurMás and ADM.
The event was supported by 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.