T-Minus Space Daily: The Atlantic Spaceport Consortium

N2K Networks | September 20, 2025
Guest: Bruno Carvalho, Director, Atlantic Spaceport Consortium
Host: Maria Varmazes

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the ambitious plans of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium, which recently secured a license to operate a spaceport on Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal. With Europe's growing demand for sovereign space access, the Consortium's new launch center aims to become a linchpin for both European and global space operations. The conversation with Bruno Carvalho covers the origin story of the Consortium, their strategic vision, operational and safety considerations, partnership criteria, regulatory breakthroughs, and what lies ahead for Santa Maria as a launch and re-entry hub.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Origin and Vision of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium

[02:21] Bruno Carvalho's Background and the Consortium’s Start

• Carvalho has over 20 years in the European space sector with experience across Portugal, France, and the UK.
• The idea for the Consortium arose in 2018–2019 amid discussions about a spaceport in the Azores.
• The Consortium is currently a partnership between two companies:
  • Ilex Space: Carvalho's consultancy, focused on business development and market strategy.
  • Optimal Structure Solutions: Specializes in advanced manufacturing and materials for aerospace.

“The consortium is actually a joint venture for now... We thought that we could look into the Azores for a spaceport.” — Bruno Carvalho [03:16]

2. Why Santa Maria: Site Selection and Strategic Location

[05:03] Unique Attributes of Santa Maria and the Malbuska Launch Center

• Santa Maria is the southernmost and easternmost Azores island, providing optimal launch azimuths (especially south and southeast).
• Location enables launches over open ocean—beneficial for safety, recovery, and testing.
• Importantly, Santa Maria does not have active volcanic activity—unlike the other Azores islands—which is important for infrastructure stability.
• The Portuguese and European space agencies also see the site as a future re-entry point, suitable for the return of cargo or manufactured goods from orbit.

“Santa Maria is probably—no, it’s the only one that does not have an active volcano... which means that Santa Maria would make it a bit more stable with regards to infrastructure going forward.” — Bruno Carvalho [05:45]

3. Operational Focus and Criteria for Partners

[08:00] Launcher Operators, Safety, and Business Viability

• Priority is given to launch providers with hybrid or less hazardous propellants (preference for non-cryogenic, non-toxic fuels such as kerosene peroxide).
• Spaceport aims for cost-effective, safe, and sustainable operations, avoiding fueling complexities of dangerous substances like hydrazine.

“If they want to use hydrazine… please go to Kourou or please go to French Guiana or Cape Canaveral. We’re not going to use hydrazine in the Azores.” — Bruno Carvalho [10:04]

• Business viability seen as an end-to-end calculation: logistics, fuel delivery, payload transfer, not just rocket performance.
• The spaceport will play an active role in influencing which launcher technologies succeed, based on compatibility and safety.

“Performance for us... is really the end-to-end. How much does it cost to deliver the payload in orbit?” — Bruno Carvalho [10:49]

4. Regulatory Journey and Competitive Advantage

[13:56] Licensing Process: Challenges Turned into Opportunity

• When the Consortium started, Portugal had no space regulatory framework.
• The government was persistent through multiple administrations, culminating in an updated, competitive legal framework by early 2024.
• This allowed a streamlined licensing process for spaceports and activities:
  • Spaceport license was granted within 240 days—a legal cap enforced by Portuguese regulation.
  • Vehicle licensing (for launchers) is now possible within 90 days when documentation and safety analysis are complete.

“We submitted a license request in December, and we got it in August... The law even applies some pressure on the regulator to actually commit to some deadlines.” — Bruno Carvalho [15:23]

• Portugal’s unique position: launching over its own airspace/FIR (flight information region) means regulatory coordination is contained within the country, streamlining approvals.

“The only flight information region that I have to cater for is our own... So from that point of view, it’s much easier to go through that process in Portugal.” — Bruno Carvalho [17:57]

5. Role in European Space Sovereignty

[19:12] A Complement to European and Global Operations

• While the Consortium began with a global mindset, European spaceflight sovereignty is now front-of-mind due to geopolitical pressures.
• The ambition is to operate like an airport manager, catering to multiple launcher providers, not just a select few.
• Enhancing launch diversity for Europe, with Santa Maria complementing sites like French Guiana.

“Europe has access to French Guiana... but we want obviously the Azores to provide some diversity and to enable that to go forward into the future.” — Bruno Carvalho [20:28]

6. Looking Forward: Market, Infrastructure, and the Competitive Landscape

[20:58] The Road Ahead for Santa Maria and the Consortium

• Now licensed, the Consortium will seek both customers (as a launch site) and investors.
• Permanent infrastructure buildout is pending funding and customer commitments.
• The spaceport will target small and medium launch vehicles (not Ariane 6 or Vega-class), focusing on those not already established in other major European launch sites.
• Flexibility and caution are key; they won’t over-promise and will carefully manage launch pad allocation and capacity.
• The goal is to have two launch pads in the medium term, depending on demand and sector evolution.

“We really cannot just go out there and advertise that we can support everything... We need to play it in a way that we’re going to allow [launchers] to test things from the Azores, to test the technology, to do their first flights—maybe, maybe not.” — Bruno Carvalho [22:12]

“If everything goes well, we foresee two pads in a midterm future. We’re not quite there yet. Let's see what will happen in the near future. Exciting times.” — Bruno Carvalho [23:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Santa Maria... is the only [Azores island] that does not have an active volcano... which means that Santa Maria would make it a bit more stable with regards to infrastructure going forward.” — Bruno Carvalho [05:45]
• “We’re not going to use hydrazine in the Azores.” — Bruno Carvalho [10:04]
• “The law even applies some pressure on the regulator to actually commit to some deadlines and some timelines that otherwise... can go on indefinitely.” — Bruno Carvalho [15:34]
• “Portugal is using or trying to leverage the regulatory framework as a competitive advantage.” — Bruno Carvalho [17:50]
• “We want obviously the Azores to provide some diversity and to enable that to go forward into the future.” — Bruno Carvalho [20:28]
• “If everything goes well, we foresee two pads in a midterm future... Exciting times.” — Bruno Carvalho [23:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Consortium origin and partnerships: [02:21 - 04:55]
• Santa Maria site selection and advantages: [05:03 - 07:46]
• Current partners and operational choices: [08:00 - 11:23]
• Licensing and regulatory innovation: [13:56 - 17:24]
• Strategic and European context: [19:01 - 20:46]
• Looking forward, infrastructure and market strategy: [20:58 - 23:51]

Conclusion

This episode paints a picture of a nimble, strategically located spaceport at the heart of the Atlantic, ready to serve Europe’s growing space ambitions. The Atlantic Spaceport Consortium’s pragmatic approach—prioritizing safety, operational efficiency, regulatory speed, and business-minded openness—positions Santa Maria as a significant new player in global launch infrastructure. As Carvalho emphasizes, the next steps hinge on market response and the evolution of new launch technologies, but with a streamlined legal foundation and unique geography, the Azores’ spaceport could become a cornerstone of European space access.