Creation process of the Mexican Space Agency: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

This article examines the series of events and factors that impinged in the creation of the Mexican Space Agency (AEM). These events and factors are the following:

1) A succession of learning processes that can affect the development and establishment of a series of mile stones that aid in the shaping of a space agency in a Latin-American country.

2) Experience gained in Mexico to be shared with the Colombian community and that can carry out the country’s space development. For this a normative framework that benefits by space technology and that, in turn, drives a strong establishment of an institution with space vocation, is suggested. This is a major step, since the dissemination and recognition of the social applications of space science can turn into an important ally in the management for the setting up of an institution for these purposes.

3) The importance of international cooperation as a necessary strategy for jointly overcoming the challenges involved in the formation of a space agency. Therefore, the Mexican trajectory in related space subjects is mentioned.