Regional Government to formalise agreement with University of the Azores to boost aerospace sector - Communication

Secretaria Regional dos Assuntos Parlamentares e Comunidades

The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities, will sign an extended cooperation protocol with the University of the Azores on matters regarding the aerospace sector, which is particularly important on the island of Santa Maria.

The strategic partnership aims to support the training of qualified human resources for the aerospace sector, as agreed today at a meeting held on the Ponta Delgada campus of the University of the Azores. The meeting with the Rector, Susana Mira Leal, was attended by the Regional Secretary in charge, Paulo Estêvão, and the coordinator of the Azores Mission Structure for Space (EMA-Space), André Craveiro.

As part of the "accelerated development of the regional space ecosystem," the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs and Communities praised the European Space Agency (ESA) for the future Space Technology Centre to be implemented in Santa Maria.

"This structural project represents an overall investment of €15 million, with €3 million granted by the Azorean Government," he stressed.

With a view to sustaining growth in the sector and responding to the growing interest of national and international companies and consortia, the Regional Government will support the University of the Azores in its efforts to attract specialists in the fields of space technology and research.

"We need qualified staff and human resources. We cannot develop the space sector with infrastructure alone," stressed Paulo Estêvão.

Committed to total transparency at every stage of the space sector affirmation process, the Azorean Government guarantees that the safety of the Santa Maria population is the absolute priority throughout this process, valuing partnerships with a wide range of entities, namely with the Vila do Porto municipality.

The Regional Government emphasised that "all phases of the project will be closely monitored by the appropriate authorities, and no launch will occur without proper authorisation from the State," stated the government official.

With a view to providing details on the scope of the project and explaining its safety mechanisms, the Regional Government will hold public information sessions with the residents of Santa Maria “in the coming months.”

"Nothing will be done without the support of the population; it will be done with the people to generate more wealth in the Azores," he assured. 

The preparations for the celebrations of the 600th anniversary of the discovery of the Azores, which will take place in 2027, were also discussed at the meeting with the Rector of the University of the Azores. 

The University of the Azores will play a key role in the success of this project, contributing with its research and deep historical knowledge, among many other topics to be addressed in the coming months.