The former Minister of Science and astronaut, Pedro Duque, will preside over Hispasat

The former Minister of Science and former astronaut, Pedro Duque, will be named the next president of the satellite operator Hispasat. Duque will replace Jordi Hereu, appointed Minister of Industry and Tourism, in office.

The former astronaut was one of the independents who entered the first Government of Pedro Sánchez. He held the Science portfolio since 2018, first in the PSOE's solo Executive, and from 2019 with the coalition Cabinet until 2021, when he was replaced by Diana Morant.

Duque was known prior to his arrival to the Executive for being the first Spanish astronaut to travel to space, as a member of an expedition to the International Space Station of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Thus, it is expected that the State Society of Industrial Participations (SEPI) – one of the shareholders of Hispasat – will propose the appointment of Duque as president of the space company tomorrow, Tuesday.. The decision must be ratified at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be held this Tuesday.

Duque will take charge of Hispasat after leading another company in the sector, Deimos Imaging, of which he was general director between 2006 and 2011. Hispasat is majority controlled by Redeia, which has 89% of its share capital, followed by SEPI and the Center for Industrial Technology Development.