Satellite-based Services for Disaster Risk Management in Spain

Juan Carlos Cortés, Director, Spanish Space Agency

He began his professional career in 1990, after working in the private sector in the aerospace field, he joined the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) as a flight test engineer, working on the “Eurofighter” Program, in the development of remotely piloted aircraft (DRONES) and at the Logistics Center for Armament and Experimentation (CLAEX) of the Air Force.

He has been head of the Spanish Delegation at ESA and vice-president of the ESA, vice-president of the International Relations Committee, president of the Committee for the preparation of the 2019 Seville Space Ministerial Meeting and member of the Board of Trustees of FIDAMC (Foundation for Research and Development of Composite Materials).

He is currently a delegate on the Board of the European Space Agency (ESA) and a representative of Spain on the Horizontal Management Committee of the European Space Programme (EU 21-27). He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the company Hispasat SA.

 

Rodrigo da Costa, Executive Director, European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)

On 16 October 2020, Rodrigo da Costa took up his duties as Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), formerly the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Prior to this, he was the Galileo Services Programme Manager from March 2017. Before joining the GSA, Rodrigo da Costa held several senior project management, business development, and institutional key account management positions in the space industry, in the areas of human space flight, exploration, launchers and R&D. Rodrigo da Costa holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the “Instituto Superior Tecnico” in Lisbon, a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Delft, and an MBA from the EuroMBA consortium of Business Schools.

 

Ignasi Ribas, Director, Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC)

Ignasi Ribas is the Director of the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) and professor at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). He holds a bachelor degree (1995) and a doctorate (1999) in physics from the Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and did a postdoctoral stay at Villanova University (Pennsylvania, USA) with a Fulbright scholarship (2000-2001). Later, he was an assistant professor at the UB (2002), a Ramón y Cajal fellow at the ICE-CSIC (2004), obtained the position of Senior Scientist at the same institute (2007) and was promoted to Scientific Researcher (2012) and to Professor of Research (2020).

The research activity of Dr. Ribas focuses primarily on the discovery and characterization of exoplanets, with the ultimate goal of finding new planets similar to our Earth, for the eventual search for life. He has high-level responsibilities on several European Space Agency’s (ESA) space missions and astronomical instruments, such as the CARMENES spectrograph (project scientist) and the CHEOPS missions (board member), PLATO (tracking coordination) and Ariel (co-PI), and also coordinates the development of nanosatellite projects as part of his role as Director of the IEEC.

He was awarded the City of Barcelona Prize for Experimental Sciences and Technology in 2018 and the Johann Wempe Prize of the Astrophysikalishes Institut Potsdam (Germany) in 2007. He is very committed to outreach and dissemination of scientific results through participation in radio and television programmes, collaborating with written media, giving astronomy seminars and courses in schools, amateur clubs, libraries, civic centres, museums, etc. In October 2024, he was appointed Academic of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts of Barcelona (RACAB). 

 

Maria Galindo Garcia-Delgado – Secretary for Digital Policy, Government of Catalonia

Maria Galindo (Barcelona, 1982) has over 20 years experience in public policy and consulting, specifically in Digital Policy and International Affairs. 

She has served in different positions in the public administration: in the Government of Catalonia, currently as Secretary for Digital Policy (since 2024), as Director-general for Digitalisation and Urban Agenda (2020-2022), and as project manager in ACCIÓ (2006-2011). She also worked at the Barcelona City Council, implementing the city’s Smart City vision and managing the Barcelona Institute of Technology for the Habitat (BIT Habitat) (2011-2015). 

She has also developed her professional career in consulting, leading the International and Smart City practices and directing projects in Latin America, Europe and Asia. She has represented the different organisations in front of the European Commission, the Inter-American Development Bank and United Nations, and was a recognized member of the high level group of the European Commission on Smart Cities and Communities. 

In September 2022 the European Commission appointed Maria as Board Member of the European Mission to deliver 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. She has published and co-authored a number of papers and articles, including the European Commission’s Rolling Agenda for Smart Cities, or the World Economic Forum’s Guidelines for Sustainable IoT Adoption. She lectures at a number of universities (La Salle in Barcelona, University Externado Colombia, ISDE in Madrid, Bocconi in Milan) and participates in conferences worldwide. She’s also member of the Women in Tech global movement and is a Jury member of the Women in ICT Awards and the Smart City Expo Global Awards. She studied Economics at the University of Barcelona and the London School of Economics (LSE) and holds an Executive Master in Public Administration (ESADE Business School), and a specialisation course on ESG and Climate Change at Wharton – University of Pennsylvania.

 

Aitor Alvarez Rodriguez, GSC Manager, EUSPA 

Aitor Alvarez-Rodriguez is the manager of the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) of EUSPA at Torrejon de Ardoz (Madrid), in charge of leading the evolutions of the GNSS ground infrastructure deployed and operated from the GSC and site management related activities. He has been working for EUSPA-GSA for more than 10 years. Prior, he worked in Aena (former ENAIRE) as the Head of the Satellite Navigation Division, holding different responsibilities and representation activities (Aena member in the ESSP SAS Board of Directors, Spanish delegate at International Civil Aviation Organization, Navigation System Panel, SESAR Joint Undertaking PoC for the coordination of the GNSS projects with the FAA (Next Gen), Aena GNSS (EGNOS, GPS and GBAS) operational implementation Programme Manager, Aena PBN (Performance Based Navigation) Programme Manager).

Aitor Alvarez-Rodrigues holds a Master of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (Polytechnic University of Madrid) and 2 courses of degree in Business Management and Administration (UNED).

 

Marie Menard, Senior Communication Officer, EUSPA 

Marie Ménard is a seasoned communications professional with extensive experience in the European Union space sector. She currently serves as a Senior Communication Officer at the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), where she leads strategic communication initiatives to promote the EU Space programme and services. Her role encompasses media relations, public outreach, and stakeholder engagement, aiming to enhance public understanding and support for the EU’s space endeavours.

Marie’s experience in communication and public outreach supports EUSPA’s efforts to promote its activities and engage with stakeholders across the space sector. She holds a DEA in business development from Audencia and a master’s degree in strategic development from Reims Business School.

 

Mercedes Reche, Manager, Pildo

Mercedes Reche obtained her MSc in Telecommunication Engineering from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in 2002. In 2020, she completed an Executive Development Program (PDD) at IESE Business School.

She began her career with a two-year fellowship in the sales department at HP before transitioning to the aerospace sector. She then spent two years at CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) in Toulouse, working on Earth Observation programs, complemented with a Spatial Mechanics training in SUPAERO. In October 2004, she joined PildoLabs as an aerospace engineer, providing technical support for satellite navigation activities and managing international projects for organizations such as Eurocontrol, the European Commission, the European Space Agency, EUSPA, and various aviation stakeholders.

Currently she serves as the Operations and Sales Director of PildoLabs and leads the Advanced Projects Business Unit, managing SBAS International Cooperation, Galileo Search and Rescue, and LEO PNT activities.

 

Diego López Gracia, Sales Manager Iberia, HISPASAT

With a degree in Political Science from the UCM and a Master’s in Marketing from ESIC, Diego has built his professional career in the field of satellite connectivity services commercialization.

He has extensive experience in connected mobility services (rail, maritime, and aeronautical), emergency response, and international markets, including some particularly noteworthy ones, such as Greenland, where Hispasat provides connectivity services.

He is currently involved in the commercialization of strategic projects for the company, such as the UNICO Demanda Rural Program, which offers universal connectivity services anywhere in Spain for 35 euros. He is also responsible for wholesale maritime and railway connectivity solutions at Hispasat.

 

Virginia Díaz de la Cruz,  Senior Expert GIS at Telespazio Ibérica

Since 2022, Virginia Diaz is the Technical Manager of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service – Mapping (CEMS) program at service provider Telespazio Ibérica. With a degree in Geology and a Master’s degree in Geographic Information Technologies from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), she has more than 10 years working experience as a senior expert in GIS applications in earth sciences. Currently, its activity focuses on the coordination and management of the Emergency – Rapid Mapping services team.

 

Laura Moreno, CEO, EarthPulse

Laura believes in making complex technologies accessible, a vision that has defined her 20-year career in the space and climate sectors. Driven by the idea that satellite data should be a practical tool for businesses, she founded EarthPulse in 2020 to transform geospatial intelligence into a core driver of high-level decision-making.

With expertise spanning AI-powered geospatial analytics, climate resilience, and sustainability, Laura has worked with organizations like the European Commission and World Bank, advising on the use of satellite data for global initiatives.

She holds a Master’s in Telecommunication Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, with research completed at La Sapienza, Rome. Under her leadership, EarthPulse is redefining how industries—from infrastructure and energy to logistics and climate resilience—leverage geospatial intelligence.

 

Franck Ranera, Senior Manager for Solution Government Europe, ICEYE

Franck Rannera is a recognized expert in disaster management services powered by satellite imagery. He developed his expertise at ESA and Airbus, where he played a pivotal role in the creation of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, serving as Head of Operations from 2008 to 2012. After working on cloud-based platforms and satellite services for agriculture under the EU Common Agricultural Policy, he joined ICEYE in 2023 as the Commercial Lead for the NATCAT Solution in Europe. He now focuses on harnessing new satellite capabilities and organizational advancements to meet the demanding performance levels required by disaster management authorities.

 

Josep Colomé Ferrer, Director of Area, Area for the Promotion of the Space Sector of Catalonia (APEC)

Josep Colomé is the Director of the Area for the Promotion of the Space Sector of Catalonia at the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC). As the director of this area, he is responsible for promoting the Catalan space sector in coordination with the Government of Catalonia, within the framework of the NewSpace Strategy, which was approved in October 2020.

Josep holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Barcelona and has over 20 years of experience in the space sector. Throughout his career, he has held leadership and management roles in terrestrial infrastructures and instrumentation, including at the Montsec Observatory. He has also served as a state-level manager for ESA missions such as Ariel and LISA.

 

Fernando Belda Esplugues, Special Advisor, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET)

Dr. Fernando Belda-Esplugues has served as Senior Adviser to the President of AEMET since 2020. Previously, he held leadership roles at AEMET and the WMO, including Acting Director of Production and Infrastructure (2023–2024) and Director of Observing and Information Systems (2017–2019). His career at AEMET began in 1990, spanning climatology, forecasting, R&D, and defense. He has also taught Physics, Thermodynamics, and Computer Science. His research focuses on remote sensing, climate prediction, and disaster monitoring. In 2014, he received the Civil Protection Medal of Merit (Bronze, Blue Badge) for his contributions.

He has played a crucial role in the implementation of the Copernicus Users Forum in Spain, serving as the Spanish focal point for the European Commission and as the Spanish Delegate in the Copernicus User Forum and Space Weather Components under the EU Space Programme. He is also AEMET’s focal point in the Copernicus User Forum and Destination Earth.

Dr. Fernando Belda holds a Ph.D. in Physics (CUM LAUDE) from the University of Valencia (UV) and a Master’s degree in Public Management and Leadership from the National Institute of Public Administration (INAP) in Spain.

 

Elena González Alonso, Head of Service, SG Monitoring, Alert, and Geophysical Studies at the National Geographic Institute (IGN)

Elena González has been part of the Volcanic Monitoring Unit at the National Geographic Institute for more than ten years. Her work focuses on measuring ground deformations using interferometry techniques with radar sensors.

The products obtained have been highly valuable for decision-making in managing the last two eruptions that have occurred in national territory: the underwater eruption of El Hierro in 2011 and the eruption of La Palma in 2021.

 

Jordi Corbera, Head of the Earth Observation Area at the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

He graduated in Physics in 1989 at the University of Barcelona (Spain). He obtained his PhD in 1995 as researcher for the National Program in Antarctica, with two field campaigns at the Antarctic Base about Earth Observation and climate change. From 2001 to 2007, he served as Chair of the Spanish Institute of Navigation, cooperating in the conception of the European satellite navigation system (Galileo) and worked for various European Commission agencies as an expert evaluator on over 60 projects. From 2001 to 2008 he taught at the University Polytechnic of Catalonia as professor of radio-navigation systems. Since 2008 he is leading the Earth Observation Area at the Institute Cartographic and Geological of Catalonia. Currently is the ICGC representative at the operational committee of the NewSpace Catalonia Strategy for future exploitation of products and services.

 

Cristina Vicente Moreno, Head of Operations, Deputy Directorate-General for Coordination and Emergency Management, General Directorate of Civil Protection, Department of Interior and Public Safety, Government of Catalonia

Cristina Vicente has been a Civil Protection Technician since 2008, holding various positions. Since 2023, has served as Head of Operations at the General Directorate of Civil Protection of the Government of Catalonia, overseeing the development of management tools and quality control processes for operational workflows. Responsible for ensuring internal coordination among civil protection services and external coordination with various agencies involved in emergency response. Additionally, develops and implements procedures and guidelines related to the tasks of the Catalonia Operational Coordination Center (CECAT).

Also a member of the CECAT on-call team as a team leader and part of the European Civil Protection team for aid missions to Ukraine and Turkey, serving as an information manager.

She holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Barcelona, specializing in Organic Chemistry, and a Master’s in Public Policy and Security, with a specialization in Risk and Emergency Management.

 

Dèlia Serra, Sub-Inspector, Head of the Technical and Communications Area of the Rural Agents Corps of the Government of Catalonia

Delia Serra has a degree in Audiovisual Communication. She has been part of the Air Support Group as both a flight operator and group coordinator, as well as a member and coordinator of the Air Unit and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Unit. She has led and participated in various projects aimed at integrating new technologies, including AI, to enhance operational effectiveness and improve data collection for environmental protection.

 

Marta Miralles, Deputy Inspector of the Catalan Fire and Rescue Service, Department of Interior and Public Safety, Government of Catalonia

Marta Miralles, Deputy Inspector of the Catalan Fire and Rescue Service, is the duty officer for emergencies in the province of Tarragona and carries out analysis functions within the support branch for wildfires and other emergencies in natural environments from the GRAF Technical Unit. In addition to direct experience in flood management, she has participated in research projects focused on innovating in response to extreme emergency challenges, as well as in courses, exercises, and European Union missions supporting large-scale emergencies.