[New Deadline] Portuguese Space Agency launches tender for satellite command and control operation in Santa Maria
Located in Santa Maria Island, the Portuguese Space Agency’s 15 meters TT&C antenna represents an additional capacity installed in the Teleport of Santa Maria, Azores, which will allow Portugal to position itself in the operations of international space missions, due to its exceptional characteristics and performance.
The deadline for submitting proposals has been extended to March 27th. Clarification requests can be sent until the 2nd of March.
The Portuguese Space Agency launched this Friday, January 20, the tender for the exploration of a 15-meter antenna dedicated to satellite command and control, installed at the Teleport of Santa Maria island, in the Azores Archipelago.
Interested parties should guarantee the commercial operation of the antenna, aiming for the empowerment of the national space ecosystem, promoting the development of space sciences and technologies and the promotion of innovation and scientific employment, namely on the island of Santa Maria, thus contributing to leverage the space ecosystem of Santa Maria.
This high performance 15 metre antenna is intended to control and command satellites and space missions in S-band and X-band, with a performance similar to the European Space Agency’s 15 metre ESTRACK ground stations, and with capacity for missions outside terrestrial orbits.
“This infrastructure’s main goal is to leverage the Santa Maria Teleport, unique in Portugal, with new capabilities, thus allowing its use in new missions, in particular the scientific missions of the European Space Agency, such as the mission to study the sun, Proba 3. Due to its characteristics and performance, this station will also allow Portugal to be positioned in the international networks of ground station operators”, says Ricardo Conde, president of the Portuguese Space Agency.
The tender includes the land where the antenna is installed, the support tower and the adjacent and support infrastructures and foresees the signature of a contract for a ten-year period.
The deadline for submitting proposals ends 30 days after the publication of the call for proposals. For more information please visit the Portuguese Space Agency’s website Calls section.
