Portugal’s Space Involvement
report
co-author
2013
Abstract:
Portugal's space industry and services sector, historically moribund, is still comprised primarily of software development and analytical engineering firms working to support the space missions of European Union (EU) partners.
However, a new period of growth and diversification into new areas and technologies is beginning following its inclusion within the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2000.
The economy of Portugal in general, and its spece sector in particular, are poised to take advantage of both EU and other international partnerships in order to continue expanding the domestic space sector further into areas of cutting edge research and development towards increased capabilities in hardware, materials science, and complete systems design.
In this report, presented are the past and present landscapes of the space based institutions in Portugal, with a rationale provided for why, and through which avenues, Portugal can and should make use of European and global space service markets to bolster its economic position domestically and in the world at large.
Portugal's space industry and services sector, historically moribund, is still comprised primarily of software development and analytical engineering firms working to support the space missions of European Union (EU) partners.
However, a new period of growth and diversification into new areas and technologies is beginning following its inclusion within the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2000.
The economy of Portugal in general, and its spece sector in particular, are poised to take advantage of both EU and other international partnerships in order to continue expanding the domestic space sector further into areas of cutting edge research and development towards increased capabilities in hardware, materials science, and complete systems design.
In this report, presented are the past and present landscapes of the space based institutions in Portugal, with a rationale provided for why, and through which avenues, Portugal can and should make use of European and global space service markets to bolster its economic position domestically and in the world at large.