Portugal, ESA installs satellite monitoring station

Portugal and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a treaty to install a satellite monitoring station in the Azores archipelago in the middle of the Portuguese Atlantic.

Accordingly, the monitoring station will be located at Santa Maria Island, part of the Azores Islands, to monitor the operation of ESA missiles and satellites launched from the French Guiana space base. This station is scheduled to go into operation in early 2007.

The Minister of Science and Technology and Higher Education of Portugal, Jose Mariano Gago and ESA director Jean-Jacques Dordain participated in the signing ceremony. Minister Gago said ESA has made a lot of contributions to training Portuguese science and technology staff since it joined ESA five years ago.

Director Jean-Jacques Dordain also said that going to the establishment of this satellite monitoring station is a sign of the effectiveness of cooperation between ESA and Portugal.

ESA was founded in 1975, is based in Paris and now has 17 members.

T.VY