CONAE

The Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) is the central civilian agency responsible for the design, execution, and management of Argentina's space programme. It operates under the national government to oversee the development of domestic satellite technology, earth observation initiatives, and ground station infrastructure. The agency acts as a lead architect for regional space capabilities, bridging the gap between state-level strategic objectives and the industrial execution of space hardware. Key activities revolve around the SAOCOM (Satelital Argentino de Observación con Microondas) constellation, which utilises L-band synthetic aperture radar for environmental monitoring. The agency maintains significant international cooperation agreements, most notably with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for the SIASGE system and with NASA for previous SAC-D missions. It also manages the VEX and Tronador launcher test programmes and operates the Teófilo Tabanera Space Centre for mission control and data reception. Prospective industrial partners or international agencies should verify CONAE's current budget cycles and the operational status of specific ground facilities before proposing collaborative ventures. Verification of export control compliance and technology transfer protocols is essential, particularly regarding the development of the Tronador launch vehicle series and integrated satellite components.