The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Portuguese Space Agency have signed a bilateral agreement expanding ESA's support for the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), a university rocket competition organized by the Portuguese agency since 2020. The event, held from October 15 to 21 in Constância, aims to equip the next generation of European space sector professionals with practical skills and experience.
EuRoC has transformed Portugal, and particularly Constância, into an annual meeting point for Europe's most talented young science and technology minds. In its seventh edition, the competition selected 25 teams from 64 applications across 26 countries, expecting around 700 students between Constância and the Campo Militar de Santa Margarida, the launch site.
This partnership is part of ESA's “New University Initiative,” focused on higher education. "By associating with the competition, ESA recognizes that EuRoC directly contributes to these objectives," states Marta Gonçalves, Education and Science Programs Manager at the Portuguese Space Agency.
In addition to financial support, ESA maintains its participation in the technical evaluation team and will now assist students in connecting with the space job market. Marco Ferrazzani, Director of Resources and Services at ESA, emphasizes: "Europe needs talented graduates ready to contribute from day one. Through demanding, practical projects, EuRoC helps students transform academic knowledge into the skills, experience, and confidence needed to launch successful careers in the space sector."
The alliance with EuRoC enhances the event's international dimension, which already benefits from the support of the Portuguese Army and the Constância Municipal Council. Inês d’Ávila, Space Transport and Security Programs Manager at the Portuguese Space Agency, adds: "ESA joins a movement that can no longer be stopped and is training the engineers Europe needs to ensure autonomy in space access."
Géraldine Naja, Director of Space Transport at ESA, concludes: "EuRoC embodies the innovation, ambition, and pioneering spirit that will drive the next generation of European launchers. It gives students the rare opportunity to design, build, and launch real rocket systems, experiencing firsthand the challenges and excitement of launcher development."
