Only the authorities designated by the Ministry of National Defence, the Telecommunications Institute and protocoled institutions can operate this new device, which will allow monitoring geostationary satellites.

Domingos Barbosa, researcher from the Institute of Telecommunications of Aveiro, explains in the press release that the observatory now has a "unique capacity in Portugal to track and detect satellites, as well as to monitor the space debris that can cause damage to these satellites".

The researcher also says that this is the "reference radio astronomy station in mainland Portugal and the only complete station - radio astronomy and optical observation -" in the entire national territory, including islands.

"In addition to the research aspect, these characteristics also make this a space with a strong propensity for astrotourism," summarises the press release.

The researcher Domingos Barbosa also refers that a deep work is being done, in collaboration with the City Council, "to have a regime of visits and to be able to visit the equipments".

"The Pampilhosa da Serra Space Observatory is a structure that serves the space sciences and the European aerospace industry. Besides the new telescope, the site already had two radio telescopes. One of them is currently receiving the installation of a space radar, and the other is used for training activities in astrophysics, astronomy and space sciences.