Alejandro Navarro Prieto has toured the facilities of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology, where he was presented with a commemorative plaque for the institutional support from the municipality.
The Mayor of Torrejón de Ardoz, Alejandro Navarro Prieto, visited the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) this Friday, a public body of reference in Europe for aerospace and defence research. Accompanied by the General Director of INTA, Lieutenant General Enrique Campo Loarte, the mayor toured some of the most emblematic centres of the institution, located at kilometre 4 of the Ajalvir road, within the municipal area of Torrejón.
During the visit, Navarro Prieto learned first-hand about the Centre for Astrobiology (CAB), a mixed centre of INTA and CSIC that is an international reference in the study of the origin of life and in research on Mars and other planets. He also visited the INTA-Torrejón Space Centre, from where satellite tracking and control is carried out, supporting both national and international space programmes, as well as the Engine Test Bank, a unique infrastructure in Spain for testing and evaluating aerospace engines.
Founded in 1942, INTA has a workforce of over 1,500 professionals, including scientific, technical, and military personnel. Throughout its more than eight decades of history, it has participated in key projects in the Spanish aerospace sector, such as the development of INTASAT, the first Spanish satellite, and the MINISAT, NANOSAT, and OPTOS programmes. Additionally, it collaborates with the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, and has contributed high technology to NASA's Perseverance rover, which explores Mars.
The mayor highlighted the importance of INTA for Torrejón de Ardoz: "INTA is one of the greatest prides of Torrejón de Ardoz. Here, first-class science, innovation, and technology are developed, placing our city as a national and international reference. We will continue to support an institution with over 80 years of history and more than 1,500 professionals, which drives talent, knowledge, and the future."
For his part, Lieutenant General Enrique Campo Loarte thanked the support of the Torrejón City Council and emphasised that "from Torrejón, we develop projects in the fields of space, aeronautics, and defence, as well as international scientific work, which contribute to the advancement of science, space exploration, and future technologies for our country."
During the tour, the General Director of INTA presented the mayor with a commemorative plaque in recognition of the institutional support provided by the Torrejón de Ardoz City Council to the organisation. The visit strengthens the collaboration between the City Council and INTA, which has one of its main headquarters in Torrejón.
In addition to its research work, INTA plays a key role in national defence and in the development of dual-use technologies, applicable in both civil and military fields. Its presence in Torrejón de Ardoz represents an important hub for attracting talent and economic activity for the city and the Community of Madrid.
The mayor's visit is part of the City Council's desire to strengthen ties with the scientific and technological institutions located in the municipality. Torrejón de Ardoz, with INTA and the Space Centre, is consolidating itself as a reference in the aerospace sector at the national level.
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