According to ECO, the contract signed with the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium is valid until 2030. The same media outlet reports that the first rocket is expected to launch at the end of 2026, marking its first orbital flight. Regular launches are also scheduled at the Malbusca launch centre in the coming years.

Bruno Carvalho, director of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium, quoted by ECO, said that “this contract is in line with the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium’s vision for an open spaceport, and we are grateful to Innospace for the trust they have placed in us.” Regarding the launch site, “the Malbusca spaceport will thrive in the coming years, and Innospace will certainly lead the way to orbit from Santa Maria.”

After closing the deal, the Asian company will have priority access to the launch pad in the Azores, along with the launch pads in Brazil and Australia, enabling it to conduct launches globally.

“This agreement represents a significant milestone for Innospace, as it establishes our first launch site in Europe, after Brazil and Australia, expanding our global launch network to the European region,” said Soojong Kim, quoted by ECO. “By connecting launch sites in South America, Oceania and Europe, we have built a global launch operations structure that allows customers to flexibly select launch sites and orbital trajectories tailored to their mission requirements,” said Innospace’s founder and CEO, quoted in a statement.

Benefits for Portugal

According to the press release, quoted by ECO, “Innospace’s decision to launch from Santa Maria is a strong sign of international confidence in Portugal’s space ambitions. This agreement contributes to accelerating the development of safe, sustainable and regulated orbital launch services from the Azores, creating opportunities for high-value activities in the region,” said Ricardo Conde, president of the Portuguese Space Agency.

The same media outlet states that the island of Santa Maria will host the Santa Maria Space Technology Centre. In total, an investment of €15 million will be made, as part of the national subscription to the European Space Agency (ESA) programmes.

The island of Santa Maria was also the landing site chosen for Space Rider, a reusable, unmanned orbital vehicle designed for short-duration missions, according to ECO.