Portugal’s strong presence at the 17th European Space Conference
Co-promoter:
The 17th edition of the European Space Conference in Brussels – considered as one of Europe’s leading annual events, anticipating the key topics and challenges that will shape the space sector in the year ahead – had a strong Portuguese participation. Several members of the New Space Portugal consortium were present, actively engaging in crucial discussions about the future of the European space sector.
Lieutenant General João Caldas, from the Portuguese Air Force, joined the Space Commanders of France and Germany to highlight the growing role of space in national security.
GEOSAT was recognised by ESA (European Space Agency) and the European Commission or its role in the first very-high-resolution coverage of Europe (VHR24) fully delivered by European satellites. Before this recognition, GEOSAT’s CEO, Francisco Vilhena da Cunha, joined leading experts to discuss the evolution of Earth Observation and highlighted the added value that the Atlantic Constellation brings to the Defence, Security, and Sustainability markets.
Alongside GEOSAT, CEiiA, N3O, and Omnidea took the opportunity to showcase their contributions to the space sector on this European stage, reinforcing the need to ensure Europe’s competitiveness in critical areas for autonomy, security and sustainability.
Former Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, currently Chair of the Expert Group for the mid-term evaluation of Horizon Europe, was one of the keynote speakers. In his speech, he called for greater engagement with young talent and the immediate launch of a "Choose Europe" programme to strengthen research careers and expand grant opportunities. Later, Manuel Heitor joined ESA Director Josef Aschbacher and astronaut Luca Parmitano in a session advocating for increased investment in space research and innovation.
From Portugal to Europe, we are shaping a more resilient, competitive, and innovative space ecosystem.
“A importância do Espaço” foi tema em destaque no programa Sociedade Civil, da RTP2, que contou com a participação de quatro organizações que integram a Agenda New Space Portugal: GEOSAT, CEiiA, Omnidea e N3O.
Durante a conversa, discutiu-se o desenvolvimento que o setor espacial português está a viver e a capacidade de atrair e reter talento para os projetos inovadores em curso. Projetos que, ao longo da próxima década, ambicionam posicionar o País como uma nação espacial, promovendo a tecnologia desenvolvida em Portugal nos mercados globais de Sustentabilidade, Segurança e Defesa.
Também se abordou a necessidade de mecanismos de investimento eficazes que permitam ao País consolidar uma ‘economia do novo espaço’, reforçando a importância desta aposta num setor tão estratégico como o setor espacial, atualmente em aceleradíssimo crescimento a nível mundial.
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