AEM Director Resigns, Calls Agency Dissolution "Regrettable"

Salvador Landeros Ayala has stepped down as director of the Mexican Space Agency (AEM). In his resignation letter to President Claudia Sheinbaum, Landeros criticized the limited budget and administrative support provided to the agency, stating it had hindered its potential to serve as the central authority for Mexico’s space activities. He described the decision to dissolve the agency as "regrettable."

Following his departure, the Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT), under the leadership of José Antonio Peña Merino, unveiled the Directorate General Satelital. This newly created directorate will take over the duties of both AEM and the Mexican Satellite System (MEXSAT), aiming to consolidate the government’s technological capabilities to develop autonomous satellite systems. Rather than eliminating AEM, this move seeks to integrate its operations with MEXSAT to enhance efficiency and impact.

ATDT also announced the launch of the Mexican Space Program, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen the nation’s space infrastructure, bolster national security, and promote digital inclusion.

As part of this initiative, the Sheinbaum administration is preparing to deploy a telecommunications satellite into geostationary orbit. This satellite will replace and expand upon the capabilities of the existing Bicentenario satellite.