All the satellites that serve as the basis for the « Waze » of the oceans are produced in Portugal. The LusoSpace start-up project should offer a more economical and intelligent solution for navigators and promote the reduction of space waste.
The launch of objects and other resources into space has become more accessible, although it remains a complex process. With the development of Elon Musk’s Starship rocket – from SpaceX – which is designed to take people and cargo into space quickly and at a lower cost, it will be possible to transport up to 100 people at the same time. But the Portuguese start-up LusoSpace wants to use it to send satellites to build the « Waze » of the oceans.
Founded in 2002 by Ivo Vieira and two partners, LusoSpace is considered the first Portuguese aerospace company. It operates in the field of maritime communications, combining Portugal’s maritime heritage and space technology.
What is the « Waze » of the oceans?
The start-up is currently working on the manufacture of 12 satellites, four of which have already been sent to the United States to be launched into space. These four satellites, which will be part of the Lusíada constellation and which bear the names of Portuguese writers – Camões, Pessoa, Saramago and Agustina – will serve as the basis for the « Waze » of the oceans, which will be made available to navigators around the world.
With this project, LusoSpace aims to offer a safer and smarter navigation solution, where Portuguese technology is at the forefront.
In an interview with Euronews, Ivo Vieira explains that « the constellation will provide affordable maritime communications through our satellites. This will allow ships to share information, such as the possible existence of icebergs, lost containers or suspicious ships, and to immediately alert the authorities. In short, the ‘Waze’ of the oceans will allow us to create a community in the interest of all. »
Eventually, the start-up wants all ships, from the smallest to the largest, to have access to Ocean Waze. To do this, an application will be developed that will allow data to be shared between the different maritime actors.
According to the CEO of LusoSpace, the « Waze » of the oceans guarantees the reliability of communications thanks to the technology used to produce the satellites.
« We use a type of electromagnetic wave similar to the one we use to listen to the radio, which has the advantage of being able to send a signal even in bad weather. This is not the case with Starlink, which works poorly or not at all in bad weather. On the other hand, we have the VDES, which is a new protocol for encryption. And encryption guarantees secure communications, » he says.
The LusoSpace new satellite antenna was developed in collaboration with the Institute of Telecommunications, the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and Frezite High Performance, while the ISQ tested the satellites. LusoSpace and the Portuguese organizations mentioned are part of the New Space Portugal consortium, which aims to place the country at the forefront of global markets in the space sector.
Satellite Launch Steps
Asked about how satellites are sent into space, Ivo Vieira explained to Euronews that there were several components.
« First of all, we must develop the satellite, the architecture, choose the elements that will compose it. Then, it is necessary to obtain the authorizations which, in Portugal, must be requested from ANACOM, » he explains.
« The satellites are then transported to the United States, the launch taking place via a subcontractor, in this case SpaceX. This also requires some authorizations and the signing of some papers, but let’s say that of the three phases, it’s the simplest, » he concludes.
Goodbye space waste
Among the elements that distinguish LusoSpace’s satellites and make them innovative is their propulsion system. This system makes it possible to change the orbit of satellites at the end of their life – between 5 and 78 years – to allow them to return to Earth. Upon their return, the satellites completely disintegrate, leaving no debris in orbit
The propulsion system used by these satellites contributes directly to the sustainability of space, as it does not allow waste to be released into space and minimizes the risk of collisions with other satellites.
The first satellite of the Lusíada constellation, PoSat-2, was launched in early 2025. The other four are to be launched in March this year, while the other seven will follow during the summer. There is no launch date for Ocean Waze yet, but Ivo Vieira believes the system should be available by 2027.
The Portuguese space sector has grown over the past decade, with the country investing more in industry. The CEO of LusoSpace says that « the government has decided to increase investment in European space assistance » and that defense has invested in the sector « through the Atlantic constellation, and is also interested in the issue of communications, facilitating the work of the navy and the air force ».
Between 2019 and 2023, the space industry experienced a 40% growth in the number of companies active in Portugal. For the year 2023 alone, the sector generated €121 million, or 0.03% of GDP.
source : euronews
