Aleix Megías (Barcelona, 1990) studied Aerospace Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Today he is the vice president of Open Cosmos, startup dedicated to low-cost nanosatellites with which it aims to facilitate access to space.
Previously, he was one of the creators of SpaceBoard, a platform with the ambition to connect different agents in space. His dream is that infrastructure and spatial data become a tool so that companies – and even people – can use them in their day-to-day lives. And thus be able to solve from small problems to climate change.
What does someone who wants to democratize the spatial spectrum study?
I was trained as an aerospace engineer at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, and later I specialized in space systems in France and Sweden.
Aleix Megías (SDG 9): “We must invest more in sectors such as space technology”
Your first works were already more than international, they were spatial.
Yes, from there I went to work in the aerospace industry, developing Earth observation systems for European satellites and moon landing systems in the European Space Agency.
What was the objective that led you to found Open Cosmos as startup?
We founded Open Cosmos with the vision of simplifying access to space, the deployment of space infrastructure and access to data, to help solve global challenges.
The democratization of access to space requires improvements in technology and the reduction of costs
You talk about global challenges, is your company’s vision related to SDG 9?
Our vision is clearly related to Sustainable Development Goal number 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. The democratization of access to space requires improvements in technology and the reduction of costs. This is achieved with large investments in R&D, but also in other aspects …
In what other ways would you apply this idea?
Another point related to SDG 9 is the telecommunications infrastructure that, in many cases, requires satellite infrastructure to reach global coverage. Other objectives with which we are related are those related to climate action (SDG 13) and the life of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15).
You say that SDGs 9, 13 and 15 require satellite technology, why?
Because the images we take from our Earth observation satellites are being used today to solve some of these challenges.
SDG 9 can be abstract, how do you think we can help make it stand out among ordinary people?
One way we can all help achieve this Sustainable Development Goal is by supporting small and medium-sized businesses. Also being part of them and being agents of change.
Sustainable Development Goals number 9, 13 and 15 require satellite technology
And how can small businesses help?
Being more sustainable, adopting technologies that can improve their processes and using cleaner resources.
An objection often arises with the ODS we are dealing with: isn’t it better to spend the money on other tasks?
The development of space technology requires large investments, which in turn provide large returns to society. Even so, the general public is not aware of it and is sometimes criticized. More needs to be invested in sectors such as space technology.
Should we also invest in broadcasting?
And explain well what are the benefits that they return to society, as well as how important these new technologies are.
It is necessary to explain well what are the benefits that they return to society as well as how important these technologies are
A personal dream?
My dream is that spatial infrastructure and spatial data are a tool for organizations, companies and even individuals to use in their day to day. And with that to be able to solve from great challenges to usual problems of any company.
In the image that opens this interview, Aleix Megías holds the poster corresponding to SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure). To define himself in four words, he uses the three that accompany this objective, as he considers that they are key in his life, but adds another one: space or aerospace.
Follow the topics that interest you
Reference-www.elespanol.com