At the summit, which is part of the celebrations of the fifth centenary of Fernão de Magalhães’ circumnavigation voyage that is marked in 2019, Ricardo Conde said that Portugal is “a nation of explorers” that wants to continue this ambition “from the depths of the oceans to space”.
“We have all the conditions for that: we are an Atlantic nation, rich in territorial terms. Even if most of it is ocean, we must take advantage of this raw material,” he stressed.
To achieve this goal, the Portuguese Space Agency intends, with Europe’s help, to develop new data policies, expand teleport capacity, access European scientific programmes and build an Atlantic constellation of satellites to obtain knowledge and create new security applications for communications.
“We want [in the Azores] an ecological project of access to space, it is an ambition that I hope we can start still this year” through the development of “new vehicles, the Space Riders, that will allow living experiences in space and that will allow us to achieve our dreams”, exposed Ricardo Conde.
The Space Rider appears in the context of an “ecosystem” that is being created in the Azorean island of Santa Maria, which already has structures such as the teleport and where a 15-metre antenna dedicated to the collection of scientific data that will allow the understanding of climate change was inaugurated on 27 April.
The contract for the installation and operation of the Santa Maria Spaceport is expected to go out to tender this year, so that work can begin in 2022, with the inaugural flight scheduled for 2023, Ricardo Conde told Lusa in April.
At the Glex Summit, the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, stated that the “space transforms the economy” and that it “provides a unique framework for new ideas, new ways of producing advanced materials and developing new products”.
Portugal is “facilitating access to all those who want to go into space to create new ideas that impact people and our daily lives, from precision agriculture, to fisheries, to control of the seas,” Manuel Heitor said.
“There are no limits to space exploration, to observe the earth and look at outer space, make it a laboratory,” he concluded.
Portugal should greatly expand its discovery role into space. This great exploring nation must continue to venture into the unknown just as the great Portuguese explorers did during the "Age of Discovery."
I am happy to say that I know of one Portuguese surname that is on the planet Mars resting on the NASA spacecraft Curiosity. That name is my name. Marc Moniz.
By Marc Moniz from USA on 09 Jul 2021, 03:35
Every machine on the International Space Station is better than anything we have on planet Earth.
Humans are Slaves to the space age controlled by a handful of people.
I am not against new frontiers, but why should 99% of us give our lives so less than 1% can go to space?
If you are sat at in silence or enjoying socializing on Mars, Earth or Alpha Centurion.......its all the same.
Stephen Hawkins was right, we can not control our curiosity and only a handful of egocentric people will reap the benefits. The rest of us will scramble for survival and wait for removal. Look at global news - it is here already.
By Love Steve from Alentejo on 09 Jul 2021, 07:05
We're spending money left and right but ignore the fact that poverty rises, people need food and water. Education systems need to improve (not programming children through home computer education) not to mention the healthcare system. Nevertheless we keep pushing the 2030 agenda. Time to put one and one together?!
By Ana from Algarve on 09 Jul 2021, 10:07
Wow. 10% of your population cannot hwat their homes in the winter, we have the 4th most expensive electricity and the 2nd most expensive nayural gas in Europe, people have been completely financially abandoned during the pandemic and you want to go to space? Get you s*** together!!!!!!
By Paula Daunt from Lisbon on 09 Jul 2021, 23:12
I like so much these article...i'm italiano with residence in Figueira da Foz since 2020...please sensi my tours articles everydays...!!!
Thank you!... Obrigado....Grazie...!!!????????????????
By Walther Casadei from Other on 10 Jul 2021, 05:08