Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) · Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal, Portugal
Launch Pads
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Annual Launches
0
Max Payload (LEO)
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Established
2025
Santa Maria Spaceport, operated by the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC), is Portugal's first licensed launch facility, located on Santa Maria Island in the Azores archipelago. Granted a five-year operating license in August 2025, it offers a unique mid-Atlantic launch corridor with open ocean trajectories in multiple directions. The site at Malbusca is also designated as ESA's landing site for the Space Rider reusable orbital vehicle, with suborbital flights planned for 2026 and orbital launches targeting 2027.
| Region | Europe |
| Country | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
| Coordinates | 36.9695° N, -25.1690° E |
| Ownership | Public–Private |
| Parent Entity | Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) + Portugal Space (Portuguese Space Agency) + Azores Regional Government |
| Regulatory Regime | Portuguese Space Agency (Portugal Space) + ANACOM, under Decree-Law 16/2019 (Space Activities Act) |
| Latitude Advantage | 37.0 deg N — only mid-latitude European site; competitive for ISS-inclination (51.6 deg) launches without northward dogleg required from Nordic sites |
| Azimuth Range | Multi-directional over open Atlantic (north, south, and eastward corridors all viable) |
| Website | https://atlanticspaceport.com |
Anchor Tenants
Active Users
Strategic Value
Only mid-Atlantic European spaceport — covers an orbital regime the Nordic high-latitude sites can't serve efficiently, plus uniquely positioned as ESA Space Rider's return-from-orbit landing site (a non-launch revenue line).
Recent Activity
Five-year operating license granted by Portugal Space in August 2025; ASC announced detailed construction timeline in October 2025 with first PERUN suborbital flight targeting spring 2026.
2026
SpaceForest PERUN inaugural suborbital flight (spring 2026)
2027
Innospace Hanbit-Nano first orbital launch attempt
2028
ESA Space Rider inaugural reentry and landing at Malbusca