Mexico Rising?

Space writer Leonard David reports in his blog that the Government of Mexico is considering creating its own space agency. Such an agency, its supporters argue, would push for improved education, help broaden and bolster the Mexican economy, improve weather forecasts, improve disaster prevention by providing early warning, and help secure Mexico's place among the leading nations on Earth.

Mexico, for all its poverty, cultural challenges, and fractious political history, has real potential. It has a large population, no doubt containing millions of individuals of ability, talent, and ambition. It is currently an oil exporter, and may be well positioned geographicallly to become a net exporter of electricity derived from solar power projects. It has a strong tourism industry and a cultural heritage that buttresses a sense of Mexican nationhood.

If a national space agency could serve as a rallying point for bringing Mexico fully into the developed world, it would be an agency well worth creating.