Why 2025 marks a turning point
Argentina is going through a pivotal moment in its space economy. This was highlighted by officials, companies, and multilateral organizations during the Innovation in Movement, Space Economy event held at the C3 Cultural Center of Science, where it was emphasized that the country today has technical, scientific, and business capabilities that, combined with an increasingly dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, position it to capture value in a global market that will exceed USD 1.8 trillion by 2035.
This growth is not solely explained by launches or space hardware, which represent a smaller portion of the global business, but by the economy derived from data, a realm that encompasses precision agriculture, energy, infrastructure, mobility, logistics, defense, and urban planning. These are sectors in which Argentina not only shows increasing demand but also talent capable of competing abroad.
CONAE: 30 years developing an ecosystem, not just satellites
CONAE set the tone of the meeting by emphasizing that Argentina is not merely a user of space technology but one of the few countries able to manage the entire cycle of a mission, from satellite design to the ground segment, including operation and data processing.
Over more than three decades, the country has built specialized talent through postgraduate programs, continuous training, and sustained interaction with universities. It has also consolidated strategic international relationships with agencies such as NASA, Italy's ASI, Brazil's AEB, and France's CNES. In parallel, it contributed to the growth of the private sector by allowing tech SMEs and startups to scale upon the knowledge generated in the large state programs.
CONAE does not hide its intention to maintain Argentina's role as a relevant international partner while promoting a new generation of companies to transform that legacy into development opportunities.
Companies and startups: from low orbit to economic impact on land
The perspective of Veng: “A satellite is not launched by one person, it is launched by a country”
Laureano Bulaci from VENG drew a compelling historical line by recalling that Argentina has 60 years of space history, dating back to the era of the monkey Juan and the first rockets developed in the country. This tradition today combines with a global industry that is expanding at unprecedented speeds. In just five years, the number of satellites in orbit increased from 5,000 to projections exceeding 100,000 by 2030, a scenario that opens new opportunities for countries with strong technological capabilities even when their budgets are more limited.
The key message: “Argentina is not lagging behind; it is running with decades of accumulated knowledge.”
This historical capital enables participation in new value chains that include low-cost constellations, data-based services, sensors, payloads, electronics, and materials.
INVAP: when competing means developing an ecosystem
From INVAP, Guillermo Rus emphasized a central point for the space economy by stating that it is not the companies that compete, but the ecosystems. The Río Negro-based firm, a Latin American leader in satellites, radars, and nuclear energy, has been developing local suppliers for years, incubating startups as it did with Satellogic in its early days, supporting spin-offs like Skylum in the area of optical links, and working steadily with universities and research centers.
The company's numbers back this vision. From an annual revenue of nearly 200 million dollars, around 90 percent corresponds to added value generated in the country. Half of that value is produced outside the company itself, in suppliers that INVAP has supported for years to reach the necessary quality standards. This dynamic reflects an explicit strategy: strengthening the ecosystem to sustain international competitiveness in a sector where advancements are continuous and technical demand is ever-increasing.
For the space economy, this means that Argentina already has a network of mature industrial capabilities, ready to scale toward new opportunities. Guillermo emphasizes: “The development of the ecosystem is not charity. It is a strategy to maintain international competitiveness.”
The IDB: economic evidence of “space spillover”
The IDB's participation confirmed something many suspected: satellite missions generate tangible economic growth for the companies involved, even when they are not prime contractors. The organization presented evidence that numerous suppliers of the SAOCOM program increased their productivity, improved their quality standards, and expanded their export capacity after participating in the project.
The IDB also warned that the regional demand for satellite data-based services is not being fully exploited and that Argentina is well-positioned to become a central provider of these solutions. Opportunities extend to sectors such as agriculture, mining, water management, biodiversity, fire prevention and monitoring, infrastructure, and climate change adaptation, all areas with concrete and growing needs.
Furthermore, the bank reminded that it has instruments capable of accelerating the development of this ecosystem. Among them are financing for innovation projects, direct investment in startups through IDB Lab, support for venture capital funds, and programs aimed at modernizing the public sector through the smart use of spatial data.
Startups and Argentine projects: the new local NewSpace
The second part of the event showcased different projects and companies representing the new wave of Argentine space innovation. From ground stations to launchers, lunar rovers and 5 cm satellites.
ASTAR (FIU UBA Project): students already building space hardware
The ASTAR project proposes a CubeSat with a strong focus on human capital development, as students design, integrate, and validate the satellite modules under professional supervision. The team achieved a significant milestone by participating in the CONAE's Atenea program, where it contributed certified hardware that was eventually integrated into the Orion capsule.
Most interestingly, the group operates almost like a startup within the university, with the capacity to develop energy modules and electronic components while training a pool of talent that is already being noticed by the private sector.
DIY Satellite: PocketQubes and access to space for USD 10,000
The company offers the most accessible solution in the country for putting hardware into orbit through satellites measuring five centimeters on each side, launch services, complete regulatory process management, and turnkey ground station provision. This approach is relevant because it democratizes access to space and allows for technology validation with minimal budgets, in addition to integrating with launchers from Europe, Korea, and Brazil, significantly expanding the possibilities for participation in international missions.
Its representative, Gustavo Carpiano, emphasized: “Everyone gets excited about building the satellite… until they discover the paperwork. We handle everything.”
HAEDO-SAT (UTN): a 3U CubeSat for Earth observation
UTN is working on the complete design of a three-unit satellite equipped with a panchromatic camera, deployable solar panels, and a bay for experimentation. The project is being developed under NASA and ESA standards, following ECSS regulations, and combines applied research with high-level academic training. This initiative offers a strategic advantage by consolidating complete systems engineering capabilities within the university itself and maintaining active links with CONAE, UNSAM, UNLP, and other players in the space ecosystem.
USAT-1 (UNLP): science with GNSS from a CubeSat
The first UNLP university CubeSat aims to measure pressure, humidity, and soil characteristics through reflection of GNSS signals, a state-of-the-art observation technique with multiple climate and agricultural applications.
The CTA has already demonstrated capabilities by integrating hardware for NASA's Atenea mission.
RoverTito (Space Bee Tech): the first Argentine lunar rover
With eyes set on planned missions for 2027 and 2028, RoverTito is advancing as a modular, lightweight, and open-source rover designed for lunar exploration tasks. The project aims to democratize robotic exploration, enabling local companies to test sensors directly on the lunar surface and laying the groundwork for a future constellation of micro-rovers. This presents a unique opportunity for Argentina to join the lunar value chain with its own technology.
Addipod: a 3D printed CubeSat deployer
Developed entirely in advanced polymers through 3D printing, this deployer significantly reduces mass, lowers costs, and enables much faster production, with the ability to adapt to formats of one, three, or six units. It is an innovation that aligns directly with the global trend of making launches more accessible and facilitating the entry of new actors into the space sector.
Tlon Space: a lightweight orbital launcher made in Argentina
Aventura I, with a takeoff mass of only 850–1,000 kg, aims to become the lightest orbital launcher in the world. It can place 25 kg into orbits ranging from 200 to 550 km.
This would allow for something unprecedented for the country: sovereign access to space for nanosatellites.
X-band SAR satellites for interferometry
This project brings together various local companies to develop miniaturized SAR antennas and independent observation constellations, with the goal of providing advanced capabilities for monitoring infrastructure, detecting ground deformations, supporting mining and hydrocarbons activities, defense applications, and emergency management tools.
Argentina could thus produce SAR technology for export, a segment where few countries compete.
Satellitear
They offer geospatial information solutions with applications in agriculture, energy, industry, logistics, and land management, transforming satellite images into practical knowledge that is then validated directly on the ground.
Space Dream
This is an architecture oriented towards space tourism that proposes modular habitats capable of generating artificial gravity, an innovation that positions the project as a pioneering vision within an emerging segment of the industry.
Argentina is ready to play in the big game
The space economy is no longer science fiction or a luxury reserved for powers with unlimited budgets; it is a sector where Argentina combines highly qualified talent, a proven scientific and industrial track record, startups that already export technology, universities capable of producing space hardware, consolidated public-private companies, and a growing interest from international organizations like the IDB to scale local projects.
The challenge now is not technological; Argentina has already demonstrated that it can, but strategic and financial, meaning ensuring continuity, investment, and regulations that enhance the sector rather than hinder it.
The event made it clear that Argentina wants to take its place in the new space economy, and the capabilities are already in motion.
Comments