With large attendance and prominent authorities from the political, academic, scientific and defense worlds, the Hall of Honor of the former National Congress hosted the 3rd Conference “National Space Sovereignty”, established as a space for strategic reflection on the challenges and opportunities of space development in Chile.
The event was attended by the President of the Senate, Manuel José Ossandón; the Minister of National Defense, Adriana Delpiano; the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, Aldo Valle; and the Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Air Force, Air General Hugo Rodríguez, along with representatives of the scientific, academic and business communities.
The Dr. Dora Altbir, 2019 National Prize for Exact Sciences winner, executive director of the CEDENNA Foundation and director of Institutional Projects at Universidad Diego Portales, contributed a frontier science perspective on the role of research and nanotechnology in the national space ecosystem.
In her presentation, she highlighted how CEDENNA’s experience shows that having national scientific infrastructure and governance makes it possible to bring together diverse disciplines, train talent and drive innovation with real impact. She also stressed that the National Space Center, soon to be inaugurated in Cerrillos, represents a unique opportunity for Chile to develop its own space capabilities, integrating defense, academia, industry and society.
A country that looks to space as its new frontier
Minister Aldo Valle highlighted national progress in this area and announced the details of the new National Space Center, which will have more than 5,800 m² of scientific and technological infrastructure, laboratories for artificial intelligence, data science and entrepreneurship, and a 600 m² clean room for manufacturing satellites with national engineering.
“Space is a strategic resource for our security, integration and development, but also for science, innovation and well-being. This center will be a symbol of the Chile we want to build: a country capable of transforming knowledge into development and innovation into opportunities for its people,” said Valle
For her part, Minister Adriana Delpiano emphasized that space development must have a human face, and that technology only makes sense if it improves people’s lives. “Chile has unique comparative advantages: a privileged geography, highly qualified human capital and a solid institutional tradition. But space sovereignty must translate into better public services and opportunities for new generations. This meeting should not be just an event, but the beginning of a stage of full technological sovereignty,” she said.
A shared vision of the future
During his remarks, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Air General Hugo Rodríguez, discussed the country’s track record in the aerospace field, highlighting the progress of the National Satellite System and the importance of creating inter-institutional governance that strengthens collaboration between the State, academia and industry.
“Talent combined with technical and vocational education translates into technological sovereignty, and this, in turn, is the basis for the design and applications derived from the use of space for the benefit of the population,” he stressed.
For his part, President of the Senate, Manuel José Ossandón, highlighted that space technology directly impacts everyday life (from agriculture to telecommunications) and that technological independence is essential to protect people’s freedom and the country’s development. “Space sovereignty is also freedom. We cannot continue to depend on external capabilities. We have talent and a public-private effort that we must strengthen,” he said.
A strategic view
Air Brigadier General (Ret.) Jaime Rivera Candia, Space Director of the Chilean Air Force, spoke about the country’s historical evolution in aerospace and the progress of the National Satellite System, highlighting the importance of the National Space Center as national infrastructure and an open, collaborative platform for science, industry and academia.
“We are building in Cerrillos a project that will not only integrate our current capabilities, but can be replicated in regional centers, expanding skills and fostering local development. This model will make it possible to decentralize space infrastructure, incorporate data centers, supercomputing and geospatial information, and connect Chile with the world through knowledge,” said General Rivera.
During his remarks, the Space Director emphasized the importance of integrating nanotechnology into space development, highlighting CEDENNA’s role in creating advanced materials to improve electrical conductivity and heat dissipation, critical aspects in the operation of satellites and data centers.
“If we can get nanotechnology to help reduce temperatures in large data centers, we will have a global competitive advantage. It is an example of how applied science can add value to copper and lithium, strengthening the country’s technological sovereignty,” he added.
Finally, Space architect José Miguel Armijo, a Chilean researcher linked to NASA and Axiom Space, presented his proposal for an analog station in the Atacama Desert, which would place Chile at the center of the international space race.
The project, CARMIN (Crewed Atacama Research for Mars Innovation), seeks to take advantage of the unique conditions of northern Chile to simulate Martian habitats, strengthening the country’s research, engineering and design capabilities.
