Ecuador has the conditions to become a space center, says NASA expert

Ecuador – which has in its geography the Chimborazo volcano, the furthest point from the center of the Earth, and therefore, the closest to outer space – is crossed by the equatorial line, and that is one of the reasons why Ecuador is an aerospace potential, indicated Kargren.

This advisor to the firm “Leviathan Space” highlighted that launching space vehicles from Ecuador is cheaper than doing so from Cape Canaveral (United States) or other places.

Ecuador “is a very strategic place,” said the American, also commenting that the varied climatic conditions make the country an optimal area for astronaut training.

Obstacles to investment

Kargren highlighted the importance of political stability and legal security for investors, including those linked to the space industry.

Investors “need to know that there is the right space, the opportunities, but also the regulatory framework,” he said.

With this in place and with environmental studies, “the project could begin immediately,” he noted as he advanced that they are already carrying out preliminary investigations for an eventual land purchase, and have seen Guayas as one of the most attractive areas.

The space industry would create business opportunities

Invited by the Private Technical University of Loja (UTPL), Kargren gave a keynote lecture in Quito entitled “Spatial exploration to generate educational and business opportunities.“

In this framework, he explained to EFE that the opportunities are not only concentrated in the development and launch of vehicles into space, but also that there are other emerging areas such as communications, data satellite, logistics, location and mapping, or software engineering. in which Ecuador can participate.

Kargren, who has developed space projects for Australia, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Chile, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, among many other countries, pointed out that the space industry is transversal to other productive sectors, such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing. and technological.

Cotopaxi Station

Ecuador already has experience in space issues, noted the NASA expert in reference to the Cotopaxi Station , located in the Andean center of the country.

In 1957, this station was one of the points chosen by the United States, through NASA, as a satellite tracking port called “mini track”, which controlled the satellites placed in orbit for research purposes.

Located about 80 kilometers south of Quito, this station was a mainstay in space missions such as the Apollo and in the second flight of the shuttle Columbia in 1981.

In fact, the station displays one of the first images of the 40-foot diameter antenna after its installation. It had the ability to receive signals in the ranges of 136 Mhz-400 Mhz.

Another photograph dated 1982 refers to the official delivery-reception of the earth station facilities by the United States to the Government of Ecuador.

The history between Ecuador and NASA

Last June, Ecuador became the twenty-sixth signatory of the Artemis Accords on cooperation in the exploration of the Moon and Mars .

Karen Feldstein, NASA associate director for international relations, noted that Ecuador thus added its voice to a diverse and growing group of nations committed to the notion of the rapid expansion of humanity in space.

NASA and the US State Department established the Artemis agreements in 2020 along with Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

NASA’s Artemis program, which is similar to the Apollo Program of the 1960s and 1970s, includes sending the first woman to the Moon, scheduled for 2024. EFE (I)