Country dossier · MEX

Mexico

Emerging space nation

A sourced snapshot of Mexico's posture in space — capability, institutions, orbital assets, law and people. Every figure carries its primary source; gaps are shown honestly, never filled with invented data.

Open Mexico in the interactive workspace →

Capability tier

Emerging space nation

Launches to orbit from its own territory: noLaunch sites on record: 0Nationals who have flown: 2

Source: ALL IN SPACE capability ladder · see methodology

Space agency

Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM)

National space agency · established 2010 · two-source verified

Source: UNOOSA · Worldwide Space Agencies directory

Satellites (owner state)

8

Counted from the GCAT May 2026 snapshot. The interactive workspace shows a live CelesTrak figure, which uses different owner-attribution rules and will differ.

Source: GCAT · General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (J. McDowell) · May 2026 snapshot

Ground stations

Space budget

$186M

Emerging spender · 2024

Source: OECD · GBARD by socio-economic objective

National strategy

Programa Nacional de Actividades Espaciales 2020-2024 (AEM) (2020)

Three-axis programme covering space infrastructure, Earth observation and scientific-industrial capacity under AEM

Coverage period ended in 2024. Superseded by Programa Espacial Mexicano 2026-2030.

Source: Published national space strategies and policies

International space law

InstrumentStatus
Outer Space Treaty 1967Ratified
Rescue Agreement 1968Ratified
Liability Convention 1972Ratified
Registration Convention 1975Ratified
Moon Agreement 1979Ratified
Artemis Accords 2020Signatory (2021-12-09)

Source: Status of international agreements relating to activities in outer space (1 January 2026)

Launch sites

No national orbital launch capability; sounding-rocket activity historic only.

Source: National launch site roster · ALL IN SPACE compilation

Astronauts

  • Rodolfo Neri VelaAEM / NASA · first flight 1985 · First Mexican in space
  • Katya EchazarretaBlue Origin · first flight 2022 · First Mexican-born woman in space; sub-orbital, Blue Origin

Source: Astronaut biographies

Milestones

  • 1985First national in space
  • 2010Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM) established

Notable missions and contributions

  • AztechSat-1 (CubeSat deployed from ISS)
  • Colmena (micro-robots lunar mission payload)