La Gomera’s Moment in the Aerospace Spotlight
The eyes of the aerospace scientific community are fixed on La Gomera. In less than 72 hours, a stratospheric balloon is scheduled for launch from Valle Gran Rey, marking a significant step towards calibrating far more sustainable methods for sending satellites into space. The President of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, and the President of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, attended the presentation of this technological objective yesterday, an event that places the island squarely in the sights of international experts.
The Perfect Conditions for a Pioneering Launch
If all goes according to plan, the launch will occur between three and five o’clock on Tuesday morning. The company B2Space has been negotiating this plan for over a year, and it is now on the verge of becoming a reality. “We chose La Gomera for the good weather conditions that exist all year round and, above all, because right in Valle Gran Rey there is a cliff area that is very well-suited for this type of launch,” explains Víctor Montero, Director of Business and Operations for the company leading this project.
He added, “When we were flying towards the Islands, we got a bit nervous by what we were reading about the effects caused by storm Claudia—since launch is impossible with rain or wind—but we quickly saw that the situation wasn’t so bad.” The ability to perform a launch of this type in the middle of the ocean was another key factor in choosing the island. “Here we will not be flying over any populated areas, and therefore, the recovery maneuver is much safer,” he specified about an operation that, in this case, will be led by units of the Guardia Civil.
Innovative Technology and a Sustainable Vision
This recovery will take place after three to four hours of flight at an altitude exceeding 30,000 meters. “All the material we use is recyclable,” Montero noted, referring to the equipment showcased yesterday to the civil and military authorities who attended the presentation of this scientific adventure.
The “Rockoon” system, developed by B2Space researchers, combines the use of a stratospheric balloon with a propulsion rocket that activates at an altitude of 30 kilometers after passing through the densest layer of the atmosphere. “We reduce the fuel typically needed for these operations by 70% and manage to place smaller satellites into orbit, which is what attracts the attention of scientists working in this field,” Montero stated about a test that will position La Gomera firmly in the crosshairs of international experts.
A Strategic Step for the Canary Islands’ Future
Just as hopeful, if not more so, about the “perfect conditions found in La Gomera for the development of aerospace research” was Fernando Clavijo. He assured that “this represents much more than a technological milestone; it is the confirmation that our islands are advancing steadily towards an innovative, diversified economic model with a vision for the future,” the regional president exalted regarding the alliance created around the ‘La Gomera Sandbox Aeroespacial’ program.
Casimiro Curbelo, for his part, said that “this is not an isolated event, but another step within a roadmap initiated in 2022 to promote aeronautical and aerospace development as an engine for economic and social diversification,” the island president affirmed.
