Porto Santo adds space communication station and surveillance sensor amid Expo-driven economic push

The Portuguese island of Porto Santo will receive two new space‑related facilities as part of the national space programme. Colonel Pedro Costa, head of the Air Force Space Operations Centre, announced the installation of a ground communication station for the Atlantic Constellation satellite fleet and an optical Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) sensor. The station, planned for the Sítio das Pedras Vermelhas site, will enable direct contact with the synthetic‑aperture radar satellites, while the SST sensor will be sited at the remote Cabeço de Bárbara Gomes to monitor objects in orbit.

The announcements were made during the "Plano de Voo Rumo ao Espaço" showcase at Expo Porto Santo, an event running until 26 July and organised by AICTPS. Regional Secretary of Equipment and Infrastructure Pedro Rodrigues visited the expo, stressing its role in stimulating the island’s economy, supporting local enterprises and encouraging entrepreneurship.

The Atlantic Constellation, a Luso‑Spanish Earth‑observation constellation, aims for at least 14 satellites by 2030, with two already in orbit and four more expected this year. The new facilities will support the programme and underline Portugal’s increasingly active space‑industry sector.