Bariloche brought together leaders from seven countries to push forward a Latin American space agenda: the keys to advancing together

The Latin American Meeting on Space Development and International Cooperation in Bariloche brought together representatives from seven countries to discuss space cooperation and regional technological development Space is no longer a domain reserved for the great powers, massive state budgets, and long-term programs. The manufacture of more compact satellites, the availability of lower-cost components, and the emergence of new players have changed the conditions of entry into an activity that, for decades, demanded technical and financial resources beyond the reach of most countries in Latin America. That change was the focus of the Latin American Meeting on Space Development and International Cooperation, which brought together representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru in San Carlos de Bariloche. The gathering proposed a discussion on professional training, satellite technology, startups, and regional integration. The Open Embassy Foundation and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Argentina organized the event at the headquarters of INVAP, one of the central institutions of Argentine technological development. Kai-Uwe Schrogl, Special Advisor for Political Affairs at the European Space Agency (ESA), also participated, and his experience provided a reference point on the cooperation mechanisms built in Europe. During the meeting, experts discussed how reduced costs and small satellites expand access to space for universities, companies, and public agencies The meeting highlighted a transformation known as New Space, a term that identifies an ecosystem with lighter space vehicles, shorter development cycles, and a growing presence of companies, research centers, and universities. In this scenario, states retain a relevant role, although they share the activity with institutions that previously had a secondary or nonexistent participation. For Latin America, the debate is not limited to sending satellites. The information these devices obtain can provide data on crops, fires, bodies of water, environmental changes, coasts, seas, and communication networks in remote areas. The central question is how to turn these dispersed capabilities into regional projects with continuity. Josefina Pérès, technical and executive director of the National Commission on Space Activities (CONAE). The technical and executive director of the National Commission on Space Activities (CONAE), Josefina Pérès, defined that need during the opening. "Space is too complex to do alone. In Latin America we share challenges, such as monitoring the seas and the climate, where space technology can provide solutions. Regional cooperation is a debt and a great opportunity. As emerging countries and signatories of the Artemis Accords, another opportunity also opens up for us to participate and be actors in joint lunar exploration." The president of the Open Embassy Foundation, Jorge Argüello, stated that "Latin America has scientific and technological capabilities that, when articulated through cooperation, can give it a much greater role." The idea of articulating capabilities ran through the sessions on universities, companies, and state cooperation. Jorge Argüello, president of the Open Embassy Foundation. Argüello also explained the political objective of the meeting: "Its main objective was to achieve the harmonization and coordination of actions among the countries that have a certain track record in satellite development. We promoted this event convinced that there is no place for our countries if they present themselves alone. The competition with the United States, China, and Russia in the satellite field is very unequal." After the meeting concluded, in conversation with Infobae, he summarized: "We worked to achieve effective coordination among the countries of Latin America. It was important for us to also have the presence of Kai-Uwe Schrogl, Special Advisor for Political Affairs at the European Space Agency (ESA), who shared with us some of his experience in cooperation within the Union. The event ended very well. Mission accomplished." One of the most visible changes in the new space ecosystem is the place occupied by universities. In addition to training engineers, scientists, and technicians, several regional institutions develop instruments, design systems, test components, and participate in the operation of missions with small satellites, known as small sats, or with Earth exploration vehicles. The Atenea microsatellite, which traveled on the Artemis II mission, is real proof of university collaboration in the space field (CONAE). The scale of these devices does not eliminate the complexity of a space mission. A compact satellite needs power systems, communications, thermal control, software, sensors, and orientation mechanisms. It also requires ground stations, operation protocols, and teams that interpret the data. However, miniaturization makes these challenges more accessible for academic groups with specific expertise. The panel dedicated to Latin American universities brought together Gustavo Medina Tanco, from the Space Instrumentation Laboratory of the National Autonomous University of Mexico; Tito Roberto Vilchez Vilchez, from the National University of Engineering of Peru; Jonathan Hodge, from Adolfo Ibáñez University of Chile; María Soledad Bastidas Jaramillo, from the Colombian Aerospace Force; and Guillermo Salvatierra, from the University of Buenos Aires. Satellites provide information on crops, fires, and water resources, with applications for land management (Courtesy of José Javier Díaz) The diversity of backgrounds reflected a central point of the meeting: projects do not require each country to reproduce the entire technological chain. One institution can contribute knowledge about sensors, another can develop software, a company can manufacture a component, and a state agency can coordinate the launch or the reception of data. That division of tasks reduces duplication and allows limited resources to be concentrated on specific specialties. Argentina has a space track record led by CONAE, with contributions from the ARSAT geostationary missions and a sustained participation of INVAP. On that basis, various universities expanded their research and teaching programs, with links to public agencies and companies in the sector. The president of the Open Embassy Foundation, Jorge Argüello, and the CEO of INVAP, Darío Giussi, during the space meeting. The panel on Argentine experiences included Roberto Yasielski, from the National University of San Martín; Pablo Ringegni, from the National University of La Plata; Marcelo Colazo, from the Mario Gulich Institute for Advanced Space Studies; and Carolina Catani, from the University of Salvador. The exchange addressed the training of human resources, technological innovation, and the design of academic projects with space applications. Training occupies a strategic place because the growth of the activity depends less on an isolated facility than on teams capable of sustaining complex processes. Designing an instrument for space involves anticipating vibrations, radiation, vacuum, extreme temperature variations, and mass restrictions. After launch, each mission needs professionals who manage the systems, resolve failures, and transform signals into useful information. INVAP hosted a regional debate on satellite technology, startups, and the training of new professionals That experience can also be transferred to other areas. The development of electronics, telecommunications, materials, programming, and image analysis often has applications in terrestrial activities. The relationship between universities, public agencies, and companies allows that knowledge to circulate among laboratories, classrooms, and productive projects. Nadia Aguado Benítez, academic coordinator of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Argentina, stated that "the articulation between universities, companies, and public institutions makes it possible to share knowledge, strengthen capabilities, and build long-term projects." The phrase summarizes one of the consensuses of the meeting: regional cooperation needs institutions that maintain stable ties beyond each specific mission. Nadia Aguado Benítez, academic coordinator of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Argentina. The private sector also occupied a prominent place in Bariloche. The emergence of companies specialized in satellite services, software, Earth observation, launch, or the manufacture of subsystems has altered the traditional structure of the space activity. In countries with developing programs, that process opens opportunities, although it requires financing frameworks, regulations, and public demand to sustain the ventures. The business panel brought together João Paulo Rodrigues Campos, president of Visiona Tecnologia Espacial, from Brazil; Esteban Carrillo, from the Costa Rican Aerospace Cluster; Mónica Martínez Bogado, from the National Atomic Energy Commission; and Luis Genovese, manager of INVAP's Space Area. The presentations combined experiences of established firms, recent initiatives, and projects to create new business hubs. CONAE, ARSAT, universities, and companies are part of the Argentine ecosystem dedicated to space technology projects The presence of companies does not replace national space agencies. These institutions define priorities, administer programs, coordinate strategic capabilities, and channel part of the demand for public information. New Space proposes a different relationship: the state, academia, and private firms can share tasks within a chain that runs from initial research to the final use of the data. In Latin America, satellite applications have a direct link with everyday problems. Earth observation images make it possible to monitor the state of crops and forests, detect fire hotspots, measure changes in bodies of water, and observe coastal areas. Communications systems can expand connectivity in rural or hard-to-reach areas. Each application requires reliable data and professionals capable of processing it. Jorge Argüello and Conrado Varotto, founder of INVAP. The choice of Bariloche connected that debate with the Argentine scientific and technological system. The city concentrates capabilities linked to high-complexity projects and is home to INVAP, which participates alongside CONAE, ARSAT, universities, and research centers in satellite sector initiatives. Among the attendees was Conrado Varotto, founder of INVAP and former executive and technical director of CONAE. The meeting did not announce a concrete regional mission or a launch calendar. Its novelty lay in bringing together, within a single agenda, the actors who are today expanding Latin American access to space. Future coordination will depend on agreements between countries, financing, professional training, and projects with defined objectives.