Santa Maria Island (in the Azores) will host a Space Hub for the ESA "Space Rider" shuttle.
Santa Maria Island is located at the southeastern tip of the Azores archipelago.
The Portuguese Government and the European Space Agency (ESA) will invest 15 million in the project.
They selected Santa Maria Island in the Azores as a strategic point for the landing of the inaugural flight of the "Space Rider", consolidating the development of the future Santa Maria Space Technology Center.
Within the framework of Portugal's national subscription to ESA programs, amounting to 204.8 million euros, Portugal will ensure the development of the future Santa Maria Space Technology Center (Santa Maria Space Hub) and the landing site of the Space Rider, with the contribution and commitment of the Regional Government of the Azores.
The choice of Santa Maria as the landing site for the new vehicle reinforces the strategic role of the Azores in the European context and fits into a broader vision of creating a multifaceted space hub on the island, which also includes space access and return initiatives to be established in Santa Maria.
"The Autonomous Region of the Azores will play a central role in developing the new Space strategy and in establishing Portugal as an Atlantic nation through Space, notably through the creation of a Space Hub on Santa Maria Island, aligned with the objectives of strengthening Europe's autonomy in launch and return operations, and also through the development of Earth and ocean observation capabilities," it adds.
The national investment, made via ESA, provides the necessary means to advance the infrastructure preparation phase, strengthening Portugal's participation in European flagship programs and the competitiveness of the national industry linked to space technologies.
Portugal will increase its financial contribution to ESA by 51% during the 2026-2030 period, for a total of 204.8 million euros, highlighting the country's commitment to the Space sector.
The national subscription involves the government areas of Science and Innovation, Economy, Infrastructure, and, for the first time, Defense and Environment, as well as the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which contributes 3 million euros.
Within the framework of Portugal's subscription to ESA programs, the contribution from the Regional Government of the Azores will be entirely applied to the Santa Maria space ecosystem. Specifically, this amount will be dedicated to developing the future Santa Maria Space Technology Center (Santa Maria Space Hub), which will host the return of the inaugural Space Rider flight.
The Space Rider
The Space Rider is an unmanned robotic laboratory approximately the size of two minivans. After launch by the Vega-C rocket, it will remain in low orbit for about two months. Experiments conducted in its cargo compartment will allow the demonstration of technologies will benefit research in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, biological, and physical sciences. At the end of its mission, the Space Rider will return to Earth, to Santa Maria Island, with its payload and land on a runway to be unloaded and refurbished for a new flight.
Sources: European Space Agency/ Portugal Government
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