Know Hub will make the various challenges identified by the institution available so that they can be addressed by the national CTCI ecosystem
Know Hub Chile and the Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile, FACh) will launch the Ad Astra program at the International Air and Space Fair (Fidae) to boost the National Satellite System (Snsat) and test different models of engagement with the Chilean science, technology, knowledge and innovation (CTCI) ecosystem.
The innovation hub, which works to turn research results into products or services, is a relevant player in the emerging defense innovation ecosystem, and will be present in the space hall at Latin America’s most important aerospace, defense and security exhibition.
Know Hub Chile is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to support the country’s development toward a knowledge-based society and economy, working with the different players in the national ecosystem to turn science and technology into innovation.
For the National Space System, space is a resource for national development, and this initiative seeks to position Chile as a hub for services and scientific and technological development, providing a range of applications for both civil and defense purposes.
As part of the FACh’s Ad Astra program, Know Hub Chile will make the various challenges identified by the institution available so that they can be addressed by players in the national science, technology, knowledge and innovation ecosystem.
Dual innovation
Know Hub Chile set itself the goal of bringing the defense sector into the innovation ecosystem and began working with the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) to design and run the Desafío Avante, an open innovation initiative that seeks to solve naval problems with science- and technology-based ventures that also have potential civil applications.
This program was carried out in 2020, 2021 and 2023 with excellent results.
In 2023, the organization and the Chilean Navy developed the Proa I+D program to promote applied research, using the Navy’s testing, piloting and project validation capabilities. In this way, new horizons are explored and an environment of innovation and progress is fostered that benefits society as a whole.
In 2022, Know Hub Chile and Lockheed Martin launched the Desafío Fortis, an open innovation program aimed at introducing ergonomic and productivity improvements to the Fortis exoskeleton. Several engineering schools submitted proposals, and the winner was a multidisciplinary team from the Universidad Austral de Chile.
Another example of collaboration is the Know Hub Ignition program. For its third edition, with support from Lockheed Martin, it called on researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and national and international entrepreneurs to present strategic technological solutions or operational models to prevent vulnerabilities and carry out cybersecurity mitigations.
Currently, with funding from Corfo and a mandate from the Ministry of National Defense, the organization is carrying out the Public Technological Institute for Defense Innovation project. The goal is to design an institutional framework that promotes dual innovation, using the defense sector as an engine of Chile’s scientific, technological and industrial development, with special emphasis on the country’s strategic autonomy.
You can read the original article at the following link https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/4778835/fach-know-hub-chile-unen-programa-ad-astra-impulsar-desarrollo-espacial
