For years, the conversation around Mexico’s aerospace industry has focused on advanced manufacturing, operational efficiency, and competitive costs. The discussion held during the panel “Aerospace Innovation and the Expansion of Aerospace Frontiers” at STS Forum LATAM 2025 confirms that the country is now facing a much deeper transformation.
This article is a continuation of that panel conversation, which Prodensa’s experts attended firsthand. Based on the insights shared, we are publishing this piece to provide business leaders and investors with a clearer view of how Mexico is positioning itself in the next phase of aerospace development—particularly for those seeking to do business, invest, or expand operations in Mexico and North America.
Today, Mexico is no longer only assembling components; it is increasingly involved in design, the development of critical technologies, and the intersection between aviation, space, and the future economy. Companies operating—or planning to operate—in North America should take note of this next wave of value creation.
Where should companies invest? What capabilities should they develop? And how can they integrate into a supply chain that is evolving faster than many anticipated?
Alejandro Cardona Seemann, President of Safran Mexico, highlighted that Mexico has become Safran’s most important country worldwide. With more than 16,000 employees and 20 facilities across four states, Safran’s presence in Mexico goes far beyond manufacturing—it includes the design of critical technologies for the future of aviation.
One particularly revealing data point is the participation of more than 200 Mexican engineers in the development of a next-generation aircraft engine designed to deliver 25% lower fuel consumption, 20% fewer CO₂ emissions, and contribute to the industry’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
These capabilities are not concentrated in a single location. Querétaro, Chihuahua, and other industrial hubs are already engaged in engine design, landing gear systems, electrical systems, and solutions for urban air mobility. This confirms that Mexico is moving up the value chain—from manufacturing to advanced engineering.
For supplier companies, this shift redefines opportunity. The focus is no longer only on quality production, but on integration into design, certification, analysis, and technical support processes, where value added—and margins—are significantly higher.
The global context is accelerating this shift. Heriberto Saldívar, Head of Strategy at the European Space Agency (ESA), explained how Europe is confronting a reality that resonates strongly in North America: technological leadership requires autonomous access to strategic capabilities.
Disruptions in launch systems, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain crises have demonstrated the importance of industrial resilience. In this context, Mexico emerges as a natural strategic partner for three key reasons:
A privileged geographic location
Highly competitive technical talent
A certified and proven industrial ecosystem
For global companies, this creates a concrete opportunity to reconfigure supply chains, reduce risk, and accelerate development timelines. For Mexico, it represents the ability to capture critical functions that were previously out of reach.
One of the most persistent myths surrounding the space industry is that it requires prohibitive levels of capital. The panel directly challenged this assumption.
Today, the so-called New Space paradigm is reshaping the sector: smaller satellites, lower launch costs, open data, and an ecosystem in which software, analytics, and systems integration are just as important as hardware.
Alejandro Cardona emphasized that niches matter more than scale. Areas such as satellite image analysis using algorithms and AI; applications for agriculture, security, and urban planning; sensor integration in existing aircraft; and certification and technological adaptation do not require massive capital investments, but rather specialized engineering, regulatory expertise, and market vision.
This is where Mexico holds a clear advantage, supported by an aerospace base of more than 360 certified companies capable of transitioning from aeronautics to space-related activities with relative speed.
Traditionally, the space sector was associated primarily with upstream activities—launch vehicles, satellites, and missions. Today, the fastest growth is occurring downstream, where space-generated data is converted into economic and operational decisions.
The European Space Agency alone generates more than 250 terabytes of data daily, much of it openly available through programs such as Copernicus. This enables business models focused on precision agriculture, water management, climate monitoring, territorial planning, security, and logistics.
Space is no longer reserved for government agencies. It has become a technology platform that can be integrated into existing business models—especially in sectors where Mexico already has strong industrial capabilities.
One of the panel’s most sensitive topics was talent. Mexico trains high-level engineers, scientists, and PhDs, but does not always succeed in retaining them or channeling their skills into productive projects.
As Saldívar noted, many innovations fail not due to lack of technical capability, but because of limited market validation, weak commercial focus, and insufficient legal and financial support—in other words, engineers who lack the tools to bring technology to market.
For the ecosystem to mature, technical education must be integrated with business training, intellectual property management, and access to capital. This is not solely the responsibility of government or academia; established companies play a critical role as ecosystem anchors.
Dr. Gustavo Medina Tanco, head of UNAM’s Space Instrumentation Laboratory (LINX), described the Moon—comparable in size to Africa—as the next major economic engine. Mexico has already taken a leadership role through the COLMENA mission, the first of its kind in Latin America, which uses autonomous micro-robots for lunar exploration and mining.
Why does this matter for Mexico’s industrial sector?
Critical resources: The Moon contains abundant ultra-pure silicon, essential for sub–2-nanometer semiconductors whose production on Earth is increasingly constrained by geopolitical factors.
Clean energy at scale: The potential to manufacture solar panels on the Moon and transmit clean energy back to Earth represents a market estimated at $8 trillion USD.
International infrastructure: Mexico is leading international proposals to develop business models at the lunar south pole, using large scientific experiments as catalysts for commercial infrastructure.
These developments place Mexico at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and the emerging space economy—an opportunity that companies across North America cannot afford to overlook.
A modern phase of the space industry characterized by lower entry barriers, private-sector participation, smaller satellites, open data, and business models driven by software, analytics, and services rather than solely by government-led missions.
Commercial uses of space-generated data, such as satellite imagery and sensors, applied to sectors like agriculture, logistics, climate monitoring, security, and urban planning—where most current value creation is occurring.
High-value activities beyond assembly, including design, certification, systems integration, testing, and analysis, which generate greater margins and require specialized technical talent.
An emerging economic frontier focused on the exploration and utilization of lunar resources, infrastructure development, and energy generation, with long-term implications for manufacturing, semiconductors, and clean energy.
Yes. Many capabilities developed in aeronautics—engineering, certification, systems integration, and advanced manufacturing—are directly transferable to space-related activities.
Not necessarily. Many opportunities lie in specialized niches such as data analytics, software, sensors, certification, and downstream applications, which rely more on expertise than scale.
Mexico combines a mature aerospace manufacturing base, competitive engineering talent, and proximity to North American markets, making it an attractive platform for space-related value chains.
By assessing how their existing capabilities align with downstream applications, new space technologies, and emerging supply chains, while engaging local ecosystems early.
Mexico’s aerospace industry is evolving from manufacturing toward higher-value engineering and space-related activities.
The space economy represents an extension of existing industrial strengths, not a departure from them.
Companies that act early can integrate into emerging value chains where competition is still limited.
Local expertise and ecosystem connectivity will be critical to turning space-related innovation into executable business opportunities.