Portugal intends to consolidate its presence in the European space industry through investments in reusable capsule technology and launch infrastructure on the Açores. The country is home to around 80 companies that generated 200 million euros in revenue in the space sector last year, with approximately 2,000 highly qualified professionals working in the area.
The ambitious objective involves transforming the quiet island of Santa Maria, in the Açores archipelago, into a strategic European spaceport. The infrastructure under construction will act as a complement to the European spaceport at Kourou, at Guiana Francesa, offering an economically viable alternative for launching smaller rockets with smaller satellites within União Europeia.
Strategic launch Base in Açores
The European cargo ship Space Rider is scheduled to land at Santa Maria in 2028, using giant parachutes next to an old runway built by the Americans during Segunda Guerra Mundial. A rocket will launch a South Korean satellite into orbit from there in 2030, according to the schedule established by Portuguese authorities.
The location in the middle of Atlântico offers a significant advantage for reusable spacecraft that will be able to land in an uninhabited area. Quando completed, the spaceport is expected to employ 35 people, integrating local resources and strengthening the island’s economy.
Ricardo Conde, president of Agência Espacial Portuguesa founded in 2019, highlights that Portugal has modernized significantly in the last 20 years. “Our universities train exceptional engineers. Criamos human capital that we can develop”, he states. The relatively simple infrastructure will be more economical than the main American competitor, even enabling the return of young people who left the region.
Primeiro water landing in European territory
The first water landing on the Açores is scheduled for the second half of 2026 by the Phoenix 2.1 transport capsule, from the German company Atmos Space Cargo. Portuguese Autoridades approved the operation, marking the first landing in União Europeia territory for this type of reusable vessel.
Marta Oliveira, co-founder of Atmos Space Cargo, explains the business model. The objective is to launch satellites into space in an economical way through reusable space capsules, with landing scheduled at Oceano Atlântico close to Santa Maria. The company is in negotiations with European companies in addition to the American SpaceX for launch operations.
Atlantic Spaceport Consortium’s spaceport facilitates logistics and coordinates contact with local authorities, according to Bruno Carvalho, infrastructure operator. The strategic location within União Europeia is of vital importance for the continent’s defense and commercial operations.
Três satellite manufacturing centers at Portugal
Faltam only own satellites to complete the chain. Três centers are under development for manufacturing satellites in Portugal. The first is being built by the CEiiA consortium at Porto, in the north of the country. The second is operated by the multinational Open Cosmos in the university city of Coimbra, central region. The third one works on Lisboa, working mainly in cooperation with the Portuguese Forças Armadas.
The satellites produced will be smaller and intended for commercial, military and mixed applications. Applications include:
- Comunicações and data transmission
- Observação from Terra and the oceans
- Monitoramento environmental
- Combate to forest fires
- Defesa and surveillance
Ivo Vieira, from AED Cluster Portugal, a space industry association, notes that several satellite communications antennas already operate on Santa Maria. Existing infrastructure facilitates the integration of new space services in the region.
Satélites small with high technology
The CEiiA consortium, which also operates in the automotive and aerospace sectors, is one of the main players in the manufacture of high-resolution satellites. André Dias, responsible for the Downstream division, states that they entered the space sector in 2018 with an ambitious goal of building a robust industry.
Atualmente, CEiiA builds four civil satellites per year, weighing up to 500 kilograms each. Demand is constantly growing, stimulating expansion of production capacity. Está planned new center in the north of Portugal, close to the city of Guimarães, in partnership with the local university.
“We want to quadruple or quintuple our production capacity,” explains Dias. With increased capacity, Portugal will be able to attract international contracts for specialized satellite manufacturing. The satellites produced cost between 20 million and 30 million euros, contrasting with large satellites that can cost up to 500 million euros.
The Portuguese strategy represents decentralization of the European space industry. Enquanto major powers like Alemanha and França dominated the sector, smaller countries like Portugal are specializing in specific segments. Trata stands for the democratization of spaceflight, allowing broader participation of nations in space exploration.
Metas ambitious until 2030
Agência Espacial Portuguesa’s plans extend until 2030 with audacious objectives. Ricardo Conde projects that Portugal will have 30 satellites in space by that date, some in cooperation with Espanha. The country is attracting international partners for collaborations and focusing on European defense and commercial initiatives.
The military sector gains increasing importance in Europa, driving investments in surveillance and communication satellites. Portugal is strategically positioned to participate in this transformation, providing essential technology and infrastructure for continental defense operations.
The combination of qualified engineers, developing infrastructure and strategic geographic location positions Portugal as a relevant actor in the new European space race in the coming years.