The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) was created on February 6th of 1996  by the Catalan Foundation for Research (actual Talència), University of Barcelona (UB), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and the National Research Council (CSIC) as a nonprofit private foundation, aimed at creating a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional center based on research and development of space technology.

The headquarters of the institute building is located Nexus Currently, the north campus of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC).