Katya Echazarreta expects a boom in Mexican aerospace industry

MEXICO - Katya Echazarreta has been a tireless activist to promote the development of the aerospace industry in Mexico, who together with the allies she has met along the way, has managed to put the country in the eyes of the world.

The Mexican astronaut is confident that in the next three decades, Mexico will be in the international arena thanks to the work being done and in a context where the country is becoming attractive due to nearshoring.

"With the support of the government, the public, companies and with the international support of agencies in other countries, I believe that in the next 15 years we can achieve something at an international level, something that for many Mexicans is still science fiction," she said in an interview with Forbes Mexico.

But Katya Echazarreta recognizes that it also depends on the country making the decision to move forward and support the development of its aerospace industry, since it has had several opportunities throughout its history that have been wasted.

"A correct decision to fully support these space investments could have changed its history, moments like the beginnings of the Morelos satellites and that first mission with astronaut (Rodolfo) Neri Vela who traveled with NASA for this Mexican mission," he said.

Katya Echazarreta is confident that with the space reform approved in the Chamber of Deputies this year, which only needs to be approved in the Senate to get the full green light, it will trigger the interest of companies in the industry.

"With the official approval of the space reform, what we are going to see are several things. First, more companies that were already dedicated to aeronautics will begin to dedicate themselves a little more to space, something that some of these companies were beginning to do, but not with activities in Mexico, but with activities in other countries," she said.

Echazarreta added that it will also begin to be noticed very quickly that many space companies in other countries, whether in the United States or in Europe, will begin to arrive here in Mexico.

In the short term plans of the astronaut is to grow more with her Space Foundation Katya Echazarreta, with which she wants to support all the Mexican and Latin talent in general that seeks to work in a space industry, but in her own country.