Pedro Duque expresses dissent towards Elon Musk's proposed approach.
A foreign sojourn and friendly rivalries
Meet Pedro Duque, our nation's trailblazing astronaut and the only one to have graced the cosmos so far. Joining an esteemed club on La Revuelta, Pedro sat down with David Broncano after Pablo Álvarez and Sara García, regaling audiences with tales from his intergalactic adventures and throwing in his two cents on space heavyweights like Elon Musk and the world's superpowers' tussles.
His celestial journey
"Zero gravity? Embrace it, I say," Pedro declared upon entering La Revuelta's studio in his customary manner. He then proceeded to share his experiences during his sojourns aboard the European Space Agency's experimental module and the European Space Station, spending nine and ten days in space like a true cosmonaut. From the peculiarities of floating sweat droplets in zero G to the intricacies of living and working in space, Pedro's reminiscences were dripping with humor and irony.
His second space expedition hitchhiked a ride on a Russian Soyuz TMA spacecraft, allowing him to join the elite club of cosmonauts who can co-pilot these majestic space vehicles. "Space travel ain't a stroll in the park," he elaborated. "The solutions proposed by American and Russian projects are pretty similar because, in space, nothing is easy." As it turns out, even in the midst of tensions between Russia and the United States, space remains a common ground of collaboration for these global powers.
31.16 minutes The race with Elon Musk
Now, Pedro's no stranger to trailblazing. As the first Spanish astronaut, he paved the way for others, such as Pablo Álvarez and Sara García, who graced La Revuelta before him. Currently, he's the president of Hispasat, spearheading the groundbreaking "Connect 35" project, which is backed by European funds to ensure everyone in Spain can ransack the digital world, no matter where they're situated on the map. "Here in Spain, if you've got a skyline, you've got the right to the internet," he quipped. Naturally, the comparison with Elon Musk's Explorative ventures surfaced, and Pedro didn't shy away from offering his input. "Space travel and satellite internet – they're separate galaxies," he shrugged. "Will Musk hike prices next year? Who knows?" Additionally, when prodded by David, Pedro provided his thoughts on Musk's ambitious space mission: "His ships? Top-notch. They transport people just fine."
Enrichment Data:Pedro Duque's primary role lies in the field of remote sensing, contributing to the European space effort through his work at the European Space Agency (ESA) and at Deimos Imaging SL. While not directly involved in the competitive landscape of space exploration and satellite internet, his work bolsters the broader space technology sector. Key competitors in these areas include major space agencies like NASA and ESA, as well as private companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic. In satellite internet, organizations like SpaceX's Starlink, Amazon's Kuiper Systems, and OneWeb are making significant strides to offer global coverage. Pedro's current role focuses on providing satellite internet to every corner of Spain, positioning him as a pioneer who aims to democratize digital connectivity.
"Remembering his space travel experiences, Pedro Duque humorously recounted the peculiarities of zero gravity and the intricacies of living and working in space during his stints with the European Space Agency and the European Space Station, highlighting how these space missions often require collaboration with international powers like the United States and Russia."
"Beyond his cosmic exploits, Pedro Duque serves as the president of Hispasat, overseeing the implementation of the innovative 'Connect 35' project, a groundbreaking initiative funded by European investments aimed at ensuring everyone in Spain has access to the digital world."
"In a discussion about the competitive landscape of space exploration and satellite internet, Pedro Duque compared his efforts in democratizing digital connectivity to those of influential figures like Elon Musk, acknowledging the differences between space travel and satellite internet, and expressing curiosity about potential price increases by Musk's space ventures."
