Juan Carlos Cortés Pulido, new director of the Spanish Space Agency | Science | EUROtoday

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, right now chaired the assembly of the Governing Council of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), which appointed Juan Carlos Cortés Pulido as director of the Agency, based mostly in Seville. The minister highlighted that the appointment of Cortés “represents a decisive step in the consolidation of the AEE as the coordinating center for all Spanish space activities, both nationally and internationally, and where we are going to promote and promote, from space, the scientific and technical research.

Morant has also stressed that, until now, Cortés' work “has been key in the promotion, strengthening and development of the space sector in Spain to improve our positioning and influence in international organizations.” Likewise, he has highlighted his extensive professional career of more than 30 years as an expert in R&D&I management and a specialist in the aerospace sector.

Juan Carlos Cortés is an aeronautical engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and until now, he served as director of Programs and Industry at the AEE.

Last April he was appointed vice-president of the Council of the European Space Agency (ESA). Currently, he is also the head of the Spanish Delegation at ESA, of which he has been a member since 1996.

Previously, he has held different positions at the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) as director of Space, Large Scientific Facilities and Dual Programs (2018-2023), Director of International Programs/European Programs, Space and Returns (2013- 2018), Director of Global Innovative Markets (2010-2013), Director of Aeronautics and Space (2009-2010), Head of the Aeronautics Department (2005-2009) and Head of the Programs Department of the European Space Agency (2004-2005) .

It has been involved in community space activity from the beginning, in the drafting of its strategy, in the definition of the 2021-27 space program and in the ESA/EC agreements for its execution (“Financial Framework Partnership Agreement”, FFPA).

Between 1992-1996, he labored on the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) as head of the unmanned plane launch methods program and researcher in numerous worldwide applications associated to the steadiness, management, qualities and performances of plane flights. .

Director choice course of

In January, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities opened a public name for the presentation of candidates, which have been evaluated by a variety committee fashioned by the president of the COTEC Foundation, Cristina Garmendia; the director of the E-USOC (Space Operations Support Center) and professor on the UPM, Ana Laverón; the Artillery Brigade General and Doctor in Political Science, Miguel Ángel Ballesteros; the General Director of Hispasat and member of the Spanish Association of Defense, Security, Aeronautics and Space Technologies (TEDAE), Ana María Molina; the director of the Astrophysical Institute of the Canary Islands, Rafael Rebolo López; and the Lieutenant General of the Air Force, Ignacio Bengoechea.

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