Portugal Espaço 2030 is a brave new programme – still under discussion – that will take Portugal’s role in Space just a little bit further.
The government is preparing today (Thursday) to approve a “space law”.
One of the first results will be the creation of a national Space Agency (Agência Espacial Portuguesa, or AEP), says Expresso.
The form the agency takes is subject to deliberations in a ‘working group’. Proposals are due “by the end of the year” with the bottom line being to widen the ambit, objectives and and current impact of the ‘space programme’ running under the foundation for science and technology.
Says Lusa, AEP will not conflict with observation work carried out by sea and atmosphere institute IPMA, nor with the responsibilities of European weather satellites.
It will, very possibly, be pivotal in the launching of micro, or even nano-satellites and the processing of their information.
Lusa points to the likelihood of a satellite launch base on the Azores, and the processing of observation data in partnership with Luxembourg, Spain, France, the UK, Germany, India, the United States, Brazil, China and South Korea.
But details are still few and far between.
Lusa says that minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education Manuel Heitor has refused to give any kind of ‘numbers’, or hint at the cost of the project, saying only that the budget would be gradual and “spread over time”.
Portugal Space 2030 is also expected to define 11 pilot-projects, “involving the participation of national and foreign partners for the use of satellite data to monitor the state of the roads, bridges and dams, for earthquake prevention, forestry management, fire prevention, climate accompaniment, fisheries support, promotion of maritime security and the mass diffusion of educational content”.
Heitor first presented his ideas last year at the time explaining the use of shared satellite data could help in various situations, including “optimising irrigation of vineyards in the Douro and sending fishermen the location of large shoals of fish”.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
