South Korean launch services company INNOSPACE has signed a launch site use agreement with the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC), securing its first European launch base and further expanding its global launch footprint.
The agreement provides INNOSPACE with priority, long-term access to the Malbusca Launch Center on Santa Maria Island in the Azores, Portugal, for a five-year period starting in 2026. The company plans to progressively establish key launch infrastructure at the site, including launch pads, operations and control systems, and testing facilities, with the objective of conducting its first commercial launch from the site in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The move follows INNOSPACE’s earlier expansion into Brazil and Australia, extending its launch network across South America, Oceania and now Europe. The company says the geographically distributed launch system will enable greater flexibility in selecting launch locations and orbital profiles tailored to specific customer mission requirements.
Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Malbusca Launch Center offers island-based launch operations with a high degree of independence in airspace and maritime control. Its open launch trajectories over the Atlantic provide advantages for flexible mission planning across a range of orbital insertion scenarios, supporting more efficient and customised launch solutions.
ASC is jointly formed by OPTIMAL Structural Solutions, which specialises in metal and composite structural design and maintenance, and ilex Space, which oversees commercial and operational strategy. The consortium operates the spaceport with approvals and institutional support from the Regional Government of the Azores, the Portuguese Government and the Portuguese Space Agency. INNOSPACE said the regulatory backing and operational capabilities of ASC will help reduce licensing and operational risks while improving schedule reliability for commercial launch services.
Bruno Carvalho, CEO of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium, said the partnership reflects a shared vision for open and accessible spaceport operations.
“Partnering with INNOSPACE as its European launch base partner is deeply meaningful for us. This collaboration aligns closely with the consortium’s vision of pursuing an open and accessible spaceport, and we will spare no effort in providing full support to ensure that INNOSPACE can carry out stable and efficient launch operations,” he said.
Ricardo Conde, President of the Portuguese Space Agency, said INNOSPACE’s decision to launch from Santa Maria highlights growing international confidence in Portugal’s space ambitions and will help accelerate the development of safe, sustainable and regulated orbital launch services from the Azores.
INNOSPACE Founder and CEO Soojong Kim said the agreement marks a major milestone in the company’s global expansion strategy.
“This agreement marks an important milestone for INNOSPACE as it secures its first launch base in Europe, following Brazil and Australia, thereby extending our global launch network to the European region,” Kim said. “Through a launch site network connecting South America, Oceania, and Europe, we have established a global launch operations system that enables flexible selection of launch locations and orbits tailored to each customer’s mission requirements.”
Kim added that the island-based spaceport provides greater independence in managing airspace and maritime zones, while significantly enhancing business scalability to support customised customer missions. He said INNOSPACE would move quickly toward its goal of a first commercial launch from the site in late 2026, delivering reliable launch services to customers worldwide.
Image: Overview of the Malbusca Launch Center located on Santa Maria Island in the Azores, Portugal
