AED Cluster Portugal has presented its strategic position for the 2025 Ministerial Council of the European Space Agency (ESA). In its document, the Cluster recommends that Portugal commit to a national investment of €344 million in ESA programmes by 2028, strengthening the country’s role within the European space sector.
The proposal comes at a time of strong growth in the national space ecosystem, which has been consolidating itself as a competitive, innovative and highly export-oriented industrial base, generating technological value for Europe and the global market.
A national space sector with strong momentum and export capacity
According to the analysis conducted by AED Cluster Portugal, the space sector in Portugal recorded an activity volume of €121 million, with exports accounting for almost the entirety of this value. This performance demonstrates the ability of Portuguese companies to compete in international markets and attract foreign investment.
Strategic recommendation for 2025–2028
AED Cluster Portugal recommends that national investment in ESA’s optional programmes be strengthened to €344 million by 2028, enabling the country to:
- Reinforce national participation in ESA’s major optional programmes;
• Increase the competitiveness of Portuguese industry in European and global markets;
• Boost research and development activities with strong economic impact;
• Ensure continuity for high value-added projects already under way;
• Leverage private investment and attract new international stakeholders;
• Strengthen Portugal’s scientific and economic diplomacy in the space sector.
AED emphasises that this budgetary reinforcement is crucial to ensuring that Portugal maintains its current growth trajectory and establishes itself as one of the most dynamic space ecosystems in Europe. With this investment, the country will move closer to the European average per-capita contribution, which is currently around three times higher than Portugal’s.