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The third axis – the planning and agreement with MINIS- as a client for S-AIS. This has caused a significant rise in the
DEF covering the programme – has been analysed and re- share price, which has consistently been above $ 0.80. A
solved together with the previously existing “Framework debt conversion was planned for in light of this new situa-
Agreement” with the Ministry of Defence that ended in tion. Although this was not carried out in the end, it will be
2020, using a special administrative contract for the “Sate- attempted in 2021.
llite communications capacity for 2021-2024” (LEZO). Once
the expense ceiling and authorisation to contract had been As for the European Union and NATO, as in previous years we
approved by the Council of Ministers in December, the offer continued to collaborate with the Directorate General for Ar-
was submitted and accepted at the maximum bid price of maments and Equipment for initiatives related to GOVSAT-
136,907,575 euros COM, and for NATO to include Spain in the second phase of
the CP-130 capabilities package. There has been a significant
Due to the difficulty of specifying some of the contract costs increase in agreements and contracts within the European
during the negotiation period, it was agreed with MINISDEF environment, largely due to the capabilities of “PAZ”. I will
to establish a base price for the tender with a provisional mention a few examples, like being awarded one of the six-
maximum value. A decision about the contracting of the life teen projects of the EDIPP Programme selected by the Eu-
extension vehicle, the “space drone”, or “Garrapata”, will be ropean Defence Fund, the “Peoneer “ Project, and beginning
made before the 30th of June 2021, and an offer audit ca- to supply the European Union satellite centre SATCEN with
rried out before 30 September to establish the final prices. data and services from the “PAZ” satellite. This highlights
the efforts made in the enhancement of our capabilities.
In Earth Observation, the “PAZ” satellite has fulfilled 100%
its MINISDEF quota in terms of quantity, although with oc- Along the same lines, it is important to highlight a new form
casional delays due to sporadic failures in the ground seg- of collaboration with our main shareholder Hispasat, which
ment. These have been becoming less frequent, but have aims to take mutual advantage of each company’s material
not been resolved completely. We have finally been able and organic capabilities in order to gain entry to the market.
to implement the new modes, which has allowed us to in- This has already borne its first fruits: one project in particu-
crease capacity for the national and international market, lar, of great importance, will estimate auto-generated power
which geographically covers from Brazil and the United capacity through the detection of photovoltaic panels using
States to Japan, including all western European countries “PAZ” satellite images. On this we have worked together
and the United Kingdom, and ranges from marine pollution with Hispasat and Red Eléctrica Española.
to the identification of damage caused by Hurricane Iota. In
general terms, we are complying with the established bu- The company has continued with its “Good Practices and
siness plan and we have observed that there is substantial Corporate Governance” model, adapting its work processes
margin for growth. to the “Risk Control and Monitoring System”, the “Financial
Information Internal Control System” and the “Crime Pre-
Regarding the “Ingenio” satellite, it is well known that during vention Manual”. All were audited twice during the year with
the launch on 16 November, there were problems with the excellent results. The requirements for quality management,
Vega rocket that resulted in the loss of the mission. Speci- environmental management and information security, with
fically, the fourth stage vector thrust control nozzle failed the corresponding ISO codes, were also maintained.
due to a problem with the control system integration, which
was not detected in the later integration and testing phases. In conclusion I would also like to comment that our com-
One should note that, after various changes of criteria, the pany – as it should be – is sensitive to difficult humanitarian
satellite was due to become the property of INTA, which was situations and for this reason we have, for example, offered
going to contract out its operation and exploitation. Hisdesat SATCOM support to the Ministry of Defence during “Opera-
was going to tender for this contract, but all this had to be tion Balmis” against Covid-19, and provided “PAZ” images
cancelled. Looking at the “Ingenio” project from its begin- to the Colombian Civil Defence to identify damage from
nings up to the final stage, although Hisdesat did not hire Hurricane Iota.
specific personnel for it, the fact that it would operate the
satellite meant that the project did consume a significant Finally, given that so much has been “well done”, I again say
number of man-hours of a number of employees. That this “BRAVO ZULU” to all the women and men of Hisdesat. As
could take place without detriment to their other functions always, I am honoured to be at the disposal of the share-
should be commended, and makes the ill-fated end of the holders, and their confidence in me is a continued source of
project doubly disappointing. satisfaction.

The investee company XTAR LLc has complied with its bud- Sincerely,
get, stating that it has been operating as Hisdesat “reseller” Santiago Bolíbar Piñeiro
in the US market since July. With regards to exactEarth, its Chairman of the Hisdesat Board of Directors
situation has changed for the better. Its budget has impro-
ved markedly, and it has regained the Canadian Government

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