179
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_18
18
The Rise of Space Astrophysics in Spain
(1942–Present)
One of the strengths of the Spanish space industry at the moment lies in the
building of payload instrumentation. Our companies, together with our
research centres, have built a multitude of systems and subsystems for scientific space instruments, and continue to do so. Back in the sixties, the involvement of the Spanish space industry was almost entirely limited to civil
engineering works for launch platforms and tracking stations.
In making specific references to a large number of space instruments, my
purpose is to highlight the fact that Spanish astrophysics, born of the modern
observatories built on its soil, took a firm decision to venture into space with
the country’s technological progress always in mind.
In 1942, during the Franco dictatorship, the Air Ministry—of necessity
and so as not get left behind—created the National Institute of Aeronautic
Technology (INTA). In 1963 INTA, in order to keep up with the times, was
renamed the National Institute of Aerospace Technology, and all Spanish
space activity was combined under INTA, which, through agreements with
the United States, participated in the supervision of NASA space tracking stations located in Maspalomas (Gran Canaria) from 1960, Robledo (Madrid)
from 1964, Cebreros (Avila) from 1966, and Fresnedillas (Madrid) from
1966. There was also an Hispano–French tracking station in operation at
Sardina del Sur in Gran Canaria from 1964 to 1976.
From 1966 INTA had a launching site for atmospheric sounding rockets in
Arenosillo (Huelva), established with much help from NASA, and from 1959
the naval San Fernando Observatory had a Baker–Nunn camera for the optical tracking of artificial satellites, also as part of a collaboration with NASA. All
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
F. Sánchez, The Rise of Astrophysics in Modern Spain, Astronomers’ Universe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66426-8_18
18
The Rise of Space Astrophysics in Spain
(1942–Present)
One of the strengths of the Spanish space industry at the moment lies in the
building of payload instrumentation. Our companies, together with our
research centres, have built a multitude of systems and subsystems for scientific space instruments, and continue to do so. Back in the sixties, the involvement of the Spanish space industry was almost entirely limited to civil
engineering works for launch platforms and tracking stations.
In making specific references to a large number of space instruments, my
purpose is to highlight the fact that Spanish astrophysics, born of the modern
observatories built on its soil, took a firm decision to venture into space with
the country’s technological progress always in mind.
In 1942, during the Franco dictatorship, the Air Ministry—of necessity
and so as not get left behind—created the National Institute of Aeronautic
Technology (INTA). In 1963 INTA, in order to keep up with the times, was
renamed the National Institute of Aerospace Technology, and all Spanish
space activity was combined under INTA, which, through agreements with
the United States, participated in the supervision of NASA space tracking stations located in Maspalomas (Gran Canaria) from 1960, Robledo (Madrid)
from 1964, Cebreros (Avila) from 1966, and Fresnedillas (Madrid) from
1966. There was also an Hispano–French tracking station in operation at
Sardina del Sur in Gran Canaria from 1964 to 1976.
From 1966 INTA had a launching site for atmospheric sounding rockets in
Arenosillo (Huelva), established with much help from NASA, and from 1959
the naval San Fernando Observatory had a Baker–Nunn camera for the optical tracking of artificial satellites, also as part of a collaboration with NASA. All