Portugal and the European Space Agency (ESA) have recently signed an agreement to establish a satellite monitoring station in the Azores archipelago, located in the Atlantic Ocean and belonging to Portugal.
According to the agreement, the monitoring station will be situated on Santa Maria Island, part of the Azores, to oversee the activities of rockets and satellites launched by ESA from the Guiana Space Centre in France. This station is planned to become operational in early 2007.
Portugal’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education, Jose Mariano Gago, and ESA Director Jean-Jacques Dordain participated in the signing ceremony. Minister Gago noted that ESA has significantly contributed to training Portuguese scientific and technological personnel since the country joined ESA five years ago.
Director Jean-Jacques Dordain also mentioned that the establishment of this satellite monitoring station is a positive signal reflecting the effectiveness of cooperation between ESA and Portugal.
ESA was established in 1975, headquartered in Paris, and currently has 17 member states.
T.VY
