Portugal is establishing a new space launch facility on Santa Maria island in the Azores archipelago, positioning itself as a key player in Europe's growing commercial space industry. In August 2025, the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) secured the country's first-ever five-year operating license to develop and manage the spaceport, which will focus on launching small rockets.
The facility aims to serve the increasing demand for launching small satellites into low Earth orbit. Its strategic mid-Atlantic location provides significant advantages for orbital insertions and avoids busy air and maritime traffic corridors, setting it apart from other European launch sites.
Key Takeaways
- The Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) received a five-year license to operate a new spaceport on Santa Maria island in the Azores.
- The facility will specialize in launches for small rockets carrying payloads between 500kg and 1,200kg.
- The first commercial suborbital launch is scheduled for May 2026, in partnership with Polish company SpaceForest.
- The spaceport's mid-Atlantic location offers clear airspace and optimal trajectories for reaching orbit.
A National Strategy for Space
The development of a spaceport in the Azores has been a long-term goal for Portugal. According to Ricardo Conde, Director of the Portuguese Space Agency, the project was a central part of the country's national space strategy established in 2018. While the regulatory approval process was lengthy, the recent license grant marks a major milestone.
The Atlantic Spaceport Consortium, the entity responsible for the project, is a joint venture between two Portuguese companies. OPTIMAL Structural Solutions, a firm that designs and manufactures advanced composite and metallic structures, provides the engineering expertise. It is partnered with Ilex Space, which specializes in managing commercial space projects.
Together, under the supervision of the Portuguese Space Agency, they are preparing the Santa Maria facility to host commercial launch operators from around the world. This initiative is part of a broader effort by Portugal to expand its role in the global space economy, which includes hosting events like the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC) for university students since 2020.
The Strategic Advantages of Santa Maria Island
The choice of Santa Maria was deliberate, building on the island's existing involvement in space activities. It already hosts a tracking station for the European Space Agency (ESA) and is the designated landing site for the future Space Rider, ESA's reusable robotic space vehicle.
What is the ESA Space Rider?
The Space Rider is an uncrewed, reusable space vehicle being developed by the European Space Agency. Designed to be launched on a Vega-C rocket, it will operate as an orbital laboratory for various experiments in microgravity for up to two months before re-entering the atmosphere and landing on a runway, much like a conventional aircraft. Santa Maria's runway and location make it an ideal recovery site.
Bruno Carvalho, the Managing Director of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium, explained the island's unique benefits. Its location within the European Union is a critical factor for a strategic industry like space. More importantly, its position in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean offers clear launch corridors with minimal interference from commercial air and sea traffic.
"This is complementary to Kourou which is focused on bigger rockets," explained Carvalho. "We will support suborbital missions. Those are being used as technology test beds by the companies developing orbital vehicles."
This geographic advantage gives the Azores a competitive edge over other European launch sites, including those in Andoya, Norway, and planned facilities in the United Kingdom and Germany. While a potential spaceport on Spain's Canary Islands could be a competitor, that project remains in the early planning stages.
Infrastructure and Market Focus
Beyond its location, Santa Maria is equipped with essential infrastructure. The island has a 3,048-meter runway capable of handling large cargo aircraft from Europe and North America, simplifying logistics for transporting rockets and payloads. A small port is also available for sea transport.
The Azores spaceport is specifically targeting the market for small launch vehicles. These rockets are designed to carry payloads ranging from 500kg up to 1,200kg, primarily serving the booming market for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations used for communications, Earth observation, and scientific research.
Small Satellite Market Growth
The market for small satellites (smallsats) is expanding rapidly. Projections show the market size could grow from approximately $4.2 billion in 2023 to over $13.7 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by lower launch costs and the increasing demand for data from LEO constellations.
This focus on smaller rockets ensures the Azores facility complements, rather than competes with, Europe's primary spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, which handles large rockets like the Ariane series.
Upcoming Launches and Future Capacity
The consortium has already conducted preliminary tests to validate its procedures. In October 2024, experimental atmospheric rockets were launched to an altitude of 7,000 meters. These tests, while not requiring a full space license, allowed ASC to refine its logistics and coordination with air and maritime authorities, paving the way for the operating license.
With the license now secured, ASC is moving forward with its commercial partners. Carvalho confirmed that the consortium is working with its first four launch providers. A significant step was taken in July 2025 with the signing of the first commercial launch contract.
- First Partner: SpaceForest, a Polish rocket technology company.
- Rocket: The PERUN suborbital rocket.
- Target Launch Date: May 2026.
Carvalho expressed confidence in meeting this timeline. "The contract with the vehicle operator has been signed. The next step is for their launch license to be issued, which the authorities have 90 days to do. We expect to meet the schedule," he stated.
Looking ahead, the spaceport is designed for a steady launch cadence. "At the current location, with two launch pads we believe we can accommodate up to 20 launches per year," Carvalho noted. "We are aiming for a baseline of 12 to 14." He acknowledged that winter winds could introduce some scheduling constraints but maintained that the yearly average is achievable, positioning the Azores as a reliable new gateway to space for Europe.
