With the help of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the Spanish business ‘Open Cosmos’ plans to set up a factory in Coimbra in 2025 with the aim of assembling three new Portuguese satellites. The satellites, which are scheduled to be launched in 2026, will be used to monitor the maritime environment, aid in worldwide observation of the planet, and evaluate the effects of natural disasters like forest fires.

The company explains in a statement that it "will take on high-resolution Earth observation activities within the scope of the Portuguese space agenda”. With operations in the UK, Spain, Greece, and Porto, ‘Open Cosmos’ will operate the satellites as part of a constellation. The new facilities in Coimbra by 2025, will enable Portugal to meet "the needs of the African, European and Latin American markets" in terms of satellite data access.

According to Público, the project is projected to cost more than 7 million euros in total, with the PRR providing some of the funds. It is anticipated that the new Coimbra facilities, which were created in collaboration with the Pedro Nunes Institute and the University of Coimbra, will hire 30 to 40 people in the upcoming year, many of whom will be Portuguese engineers.

The ‘Open Constellation’, a cooperative network of satellites from multiple nations intended to gather regional and global data, includes the three Portuguese satellites. Six of ‘Open Cosmos' 34 contracted satellites are presently in operation. By using Portugal's strategic links to South America and Africa, the initiative seeks to establish Portugal as an exporter of full space solutions while also enhancing the nation's technological capabilities.