Comments on: Portugal issues spaceport license to Santa Maria Island https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/portugal-issues-spaceport-license-to-santa-maria-island/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:24:06 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Jeff Wright https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/portugal-issues-spaceport-license-to-santa-maria-island/#comment-1618019 Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:24:06 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=116268#comment-1618019 Near enough to the continent for resupply—but out at sea enough to launch pretty much in any direction from the looks of things—though they might need a barge to land on unless they go the Kistler route.

Maybe a big expendable solid on stand-by in case of transient events passing through the solar system.

This might be ideal for passenger rocket planes as well.

]]> By: Dick Eagleson https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/portugal-issues-spaceport-license-to-santa-maria-island/#comment-1617848 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:32:05 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=116268#comment-1617848 Logistics certainly will prove an intrinsic, and ongoing, issue for this launch site. But far less so, one supposes, than those already associated with use of, say, Kourou in French Guiana. This may prove to be one of those situations in which one need not outrun the bear, just the other guy.

]]> By: john hare https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/portugal-issues-spaceport-license-to-santa-maria-island/#comment-1617845 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:15:03 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=116268#comment-1617845 Looks like a good candidate for mainland recovery of first stages. Or recovery just offshore with barges making a short trip to shore such that fast craft return a booster to the island. Alternately boosters can go back by economical freighter along with other cargo.

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