PT Space promotes Innovation Award in Space Science and Technology

The Portuguese Space Agency - Portugal Space (PT Space) promotes for the first time the Innovation in Space Science and Technology Award. This award aims to publicly distinguish a project or initiative of a Portuguese entity, in the space area, which stands out for its innovative character in the sector, as well as for its applicability, viability and impact.

Eligible projects/initiatives may address several areas of space sciences and technologies, from planetary sciences to medicine and space exploration, space transportation, among others. Their development must come from Portuguese entities such as companies, research centers, higher education institutions, public administration bodies, or others that belong to the framework of organizations in the area of Space in which Portugal participates.

The identification of projects/initiatives as potential candidates is open to the public, with a first phase of the selection process that includes the nomination of projects and initiatives that deserve to be highlighted by the entities themselves or by any person who, knowing the project and/or initiative, considers it worthy of distinction. Subsequently, the Portuguese Space Agency will make a pre-selection among the nominees and the winner will be chosen by a jury, through an evaluation of the degree of innovation, applicability and impact of the selected projects. The presentation of proposals of potential candidates by the public is open until February 25th 2022, and should be done through the registration form, available on PT Space's website. Additional information about the prize and eligible projects/initiatives is available in the regulation.

This distinction aims to recognize the work of the entities that operate in this sector, as well as disseminate it to the public. The prize, symbolic in nature, will be awarded on 18 March, the date of the Agency's third anniversary. Founded and partly financed by the Foundation for Science and Technology, PT Space is responsible for the implementation of the National Strategy for Space, as well as for the management, together with the FCT, of ESA, European Southern Observatory (ESO) and SKA Observatory (SKAO) funds and for representing Portugal in these international organisations. The FCT, which for over two decades has been the main source of funding for the Portuguese industrial and academic space sector, also chairs the General Meeting Board of PT Space.