As part of the development of the VDES constellation (WP11), Lusospace convened the first face-to-face meeting at its facilities in Lisbon on November 21, 2023, with technical partners IT, INEGI, FHP, ISQ, and management partners NewSpace Portugal and Avalue. The main focus of the meeting was to share the strategic vision and align with the consortium the ambitious planning of the program, until December 2025, with the 27 elements present.
The partnership led by LusoSpace faces the challenge of fully developing and producing RF antennas for VDES communication in Portugal, integrating them into the constellation consisting of 12 satellites, which are also developed and integrated in Portugal. This development will rely on IT for the creation of the RF antenna system, the Inegi for the mechanical system, the FHP for the production of the antennas, and the ISQ to support the carrying out of qualification tests.
During this work session, the technical and management teams shared their individual perspectives, highlighting specific challenges and opportunities.
NewSpace Portugal and Avalue provided their contribution by clarifying the Agenda's main management and reporting interfaces to the partners.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the active search for the alignment of objectives. The partners recognised the importance of finding common points of articulation and developing methods for optimising communication channels.
O Brainstorming carried out for risk sharing and collection, demonstrated a collective commitment to anticipate potential challenges. Communication and risk management stood out as fundamental to this development for effective coordination, aimed at maximising the streamlining and impact of planned actions.
At the end of the meeting, it was evident that this consortium is not just a technical collaboration, but a strategic alliance with ambitious objectives. The determination demonstrated by everyone during this meeting suggests a promising future for the VDES Constellation, marked by innovation, efficient coordination and significant achievements in the aerospace sector in Portugal.
“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.
Programa completo aqui.