Portuguese Space Agency
wants to reward space innovation
Portugal Space will award domestic projects and/or initiatives that promote the spirit of innovation in space sciences and technologies.
The prize will be awarded for the first time on 18 March, a date that marks the Portuguese Space Agency’s third anniversary.
This Friday, 11 February, the Portuguese Space Agency – Portugal Space launches the Innovation in Space Science and Technology Award. The Portuguese Space Agency will award the prize annually, aiming to attract public recognition to a project or initiative of outstanding innovative capacity. Projects will be judged according to criteria related to the level of innovation in the space sector, applicability, viability, and impact.
“Portugal Space wants to distinguish Portuguese entities – from companies to research centers, higher education institutions and public administration bodies – that have developed projects or initiatives that have promoted the spirit of innovation in the space field,” says the president of the Portuguese Space Agency – Portugal Space, Ricardo Conde.
“There was no better time to start promoting this award than our third anniversary. Portugal Space is in a phase of consolidation and frank expansion of its projects and activities. It makes perfect sense for us to further strengthen ties with the ecosystem and, above all, to recognise the efforts of these actors”, explains Ricardo Conde.
The aim of the award is also to make these integral parts of the Portuguese space sector known to the public and “to show society the innovation that resides within the walls of these entities, whose projects often go unnoticed here, even when they are known at international level”, he adds.
The Innovation in Space Science and Technology Award depends upon the participation of the public, which will have an opportunity to nominate projects and initiatives which it considers to be outstanding during the year. The initiative is intended to reward innovative projects in the following areas of space sciences and technologies, among others: Planetary Sciences; Space Medicine and Exploration; Earth Observation and Applications; Space Transportation; Space Security; In-orbit Services; Education.
According to the Regulations for the Innovation in Space Science and Technology Prize, which can be consulted on the website of the Portuguese Space Agency, eligible projects and initiatives must be developed by Portuguese entities – namely companies, research centres, higher education institutions, public administration bodies or others. They must be developed on national territory, or within the framework of international organisations in which Portugal participates, such as the European Space Agency (ESA), Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO), European Southern Observatory (ESO) or the European Union (EU).
The deadline for nominations is February 25th. The Portuguese Space Agency will announce its list of pre-selected finalists on March 4, and will publish the names of the jury for selection soon; it will include renowned personalities from academia and industry linked to the space sector. The jury will deliver the award on March 18.
