Santa Maria hosts the Exhibition
“The Place of Tomorrow”
A new exhibition by the Portuguese Space Agency traces the space history of the Azores island, which is poised to take on a prominent role in the European space sector in the coming years. The exhibition is on display in Vila do Porto through mid-July.
In the center of Vila do Porto, on the checkered cobblestone street, surrounded by the town’s stone cross and traditional Azorean houses, the history of the space sector in Santa Maria and how Europe’s future also lies on the island. This is the theme of the exhibition “The Place of Tomorrow,” produced by the Portuguese Space Agency, which can be visited at the Vila do Porto Municipal Garden until July 19.
Through 24 bilingual panels installed outdoors, the exhibition tells the story of Santa Maria as a European space platform, from the integration of the SMA-1 tracking station into ESA’s ESTRACK network in 2008 to the ongoing projects that are transforming the island. Among them are two projects with significant international impact: the future landing on the island of the Space Rider, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) reusable orbital vehicle, following its maiden flight, and the construction of the first spaceport on Portuguese territory in Malbusca.
“Santa Maria has a recent but rich history in space exploration. That is why it is important to highlight it and showcase all that has been accomplished in recent years and what is yet to come. However, this history cannot be told without the people of Santa Maria, which is why we are opening this exhibition in a public space, accessible to everyone,” explains Ricardo Conde. The president of the Portuguese Space Agency also emphasizes that, “at a time when celebrations marking the 600th anniversary of the discovery of the Azores are beginning, this exhibition establishes a dialogue between the present and the future of the archipelago.”
Divided into six thematic modules, the exhibition was designed as a traveling show whose panels can be arranged in various configurations: “With this approach, we can explore the versatility of the panels, which function both as independent units and in collective compositions. Thus, in the future, we may have several panels at different locations across the island, broadening the impact of this exhibition and bringing the population even closer to the space sector,” explains Ricardo Conde.
“The Place of the Future” also features testimonials from residents of Santa Maria—who were born and live on the island, or who chose to live there to work in the space sector—collected by the Portuguese Space Agency. These panels help illustrate the sector’s direct impact on the lives of Santa Maria’s residents, who see space as an opportunity for growth, but also for retaining talent on the island. The data collected during the production of this exhibition confirms the sector’s positive impact: five new companies have been established in Santa Maria since 2019, enabling the return and retention of technical staff on the island, in addition to an active space-project incubator.
The exhibition “The Place of Tomorrow” is supported by the Vila do Porto City Council.
