Since the space race began in 1957 when Sputnik 1 was launched, the importance of placing increasingly advanced satellites in orbit for scientific and telecommunication purposes has become increasingly apparent. In the last 32 years and surpassing several obstacles, 15 Mexican satellites have been deployed into orbit to address the country's growing connectivity needs, although only three are currently operational.

These satellites were first owned and operated by the Mexican government but the entrance of the private sector into the telecoms market has enabled companies to acquire, operate and even launch their own satellites.