Portugal Above the Clouds Commentaries on the Strategic, Political and Legal Evolution of Space Activities in Portugal

Portugal is one of the most recent countries to have passed national space legislation and to have in place a national space policy and strategy. The Portuguese Decree-Law no. 16/2019, of 22 January, and subsequent legal diplomas were not only an historical milestone, but above all, a strategic and geopolitical one. Relying on the European Space Agency's technical support, the country is developing a spaceport on the Azores islands for the launch of small commercial satellites. The signs are indeed positive, yet from a legal point of view, it is still premature to anticipate whether Portuguese space law can, in fact, provide a robust response to the growing interest in space activities in Portugal. As such, this contribution addresses the strategic, political, and legal evolution of space activities in Portugal, focusing on the current legal framework, its potential, but also the challenges it may encounter, assessing possible paths to improve and respond to public and private needs.