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Greece steps up space program with launch, development of new satellites
With the recent launch of the first Greek nanosatellite, DUTHSAT-2, Greece has officially entered the era of space exploration, boosting national efforts to develop its aerospace capabilities and in support of its security and environmental goals.
The satellite, which was launched in late June, was developed under the coordination of the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) and with the support of the European Space Agency. It is the first of roughly a dozen satellites Greece hopes to deploy over the next few years and will provide imagery and data that will be used to gather information about soil moisture and marine pollution.
The Greek space sector is experiencing rapid growth, now comprising 60 companies with a combined revenue of €500 million in 2024, more than doubling from €230 million in 2020, according to data from the Hellenic Association of Space Industry.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis toured the Athens facility of Finnish-space company ICEYE, which houses Greece’s inaugural satellite production line. The facility aims to transform Greece into a hub for advanced satellite manufacturing.
“We become part of your ecosystem through our own satellites, which are critical in terms of monitoring the environment, whether we are talking about natural disasters or other applications, but also for the country’s defense and security,” Mr. Mitsotakis told workers at the facility.