With the launch of the Chilean Air Force Innovation Program and the non-profit organization Know Hub Chile, named Ad Astra, on Friday, April 12, the third version of Space Summit ended, which was developed since Tuesday, April 9 within the framework of the execution of FIDAE 2024.

The activity counted with the presence of the Undersecretary of Defense, Ricardo Montero Allende, accompanied by the FACH Space Director, Major General, Luis Sáez Collantes; the Know Hub Chile President, Javier Ramirez; the Italian Astronaut Roberto Vittori; the Shield AI President and Co-founder, Brandon Tseng; and the Chilean miner, Mario Sepúlveda. The purpose of the launch was showing how important it is for the Chilean Air Force to have an ally such as the Know Hub corporation that could serve as a bridge to connect it with innovation.

“The objective of this program is to highlight the innovation as a tool to come up with new ideas to improve specific problems of the Institution. Thus, it becomes a much more efficient and developed body, which will be able to better fulfill its functions and mission in pursuit of national development” said Major General Saez. Besides, he pointed out that it is a company expert in innovation which will help to achieve these challenges.

“It will put us in touch with the ecosystem of science, technology and innovation so that it is the scientific or academic community itself that will enable us to overcome the challenges that we are going to set ourselves in this program, such as the development of artificial intelligence or the use of satellites with new materials. These constitute innovative ideas that allow us to keep doing the same, but in a better way”, he said. Besides, he pointed out that this program seeks to resolve challenges in both defense and civil world areas, by working with universities, research centers, startups, and civil and defense companies both domestic and foreign.

After the launching period, and as an example that innovation is such a broad bridge which may go from saving lives to the progress of humanity, the audience attended a panel discussion integrated by one of the 33 buried miners in the San Jose Mine, Mario Sepúlveda; the European Space Agency astronaut, Roberto Vittori; and the Shield AI President, and Co-founder, Brandon Tseng. They all told their story and let know how innovation shaped a part of their lives.