The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology revealed that the antenna of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Perth, Australia, "is at an early stage of disassembly test work." He noted that this is "a crucial time" for a project that, within a year, will enhance the provision of terrestrial services from the Azores not only to ESA, but also to other international operators."
 
Gui Menezes spoke Tuesday at the end of a meeting at the European Space Operations Centre in Frankfurt, Germany, where the presentation of the technical study took place. It also discussed the planning of the works on the agreement signed between the Azores and the Foundation for Science and Technology on September 27, 2016 for the creation of conditions that guarantee the expansion of ESA's space infrastructure on Santa Maria Island; the 15-metre remote control and telemetry antenna will be transferred to this island.
 
For the Regional Secretary, the transfer of this infrastructure to the Azores "represents not only a new investment and confidence boost from ESA, but also a guarantee of new business opportunities to be established in the Azores and, in particular, on Santa Maria."
 
Gui Menezes stressed that the technical features of this new antenna "will strengthen and create new operational services in terms of scientific missions for the observation of the Earth and the Sun."
 
In this regard, the government official defended that the transfer of this antenna to the Azores "is a new development to the centrality of the Region with regard to the study of Space and Earth," adding that it may also become "an important contribution to the future Azores International Research Center [AIR Center]."
 
The Regional Secretary mentioned that the Head of the Department of ESA Operation and External Services, Thomas Beck, with whom he met, "welcomed the commitment of the Azores in this process."
 
The meeting, attended by the Portuguese ESA delegate, also allowed the analysis of new opportunities that may arise for the Region in the field of space sector.
 
"The Azorean Government has been securing for the Region important investments in order to create the Aerospace hub on Santa Maria," said Gui Menezes. He stressed that "new projects may join the existing ones in the short-term," namely the ESA Tracking Station, the Galileo Sensor Station and the station of the Geodynamic and Space Stations Network.