Greece is moving from the launch of microsatellites to the operational implementation of its space strategy. Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, together with German Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Johann Wadephul, inaugurated the OroraTech offices in Athens, highlighting the operational dimension of Greek-German cooperation in the space sector.
The visit took place in the wake of the successful launch of the first Greek thermal satellites, a development that, as noted, gives the country the ability for the first time to detect and monitor fires in near real time, substantially strengthening Civil Protection and public safety. In the same context, the National Microsatellite Program reflects a systematic investment in knowledge, innovation, and national capabilities, with the aim of establishing a modern space ecosystem.
During the visit, the operational satellite detection and monitoring system for forest fires being developed in Greece was presented, utilizing data from thermal satellites and enabling continuous surveillance and timely detection of hotspots.
The development of this system reflects a broader shift in the way natural disasters are managed, as for the first time a country gains access to a specialized satellite fleet designed for continuous fire monitoring, setting a new standard for the use of space technologies to protect citizens, ecosystems, and the economy.
The new satellites also provide high-precision information on the temperature of the country’s marine waters, coastal areas, and inland water bodies (lakes and reservoirs), as well as on various categories of land use — from agricultural and forest areas to urban areas and wetlands. In this way, they make a decisive contribution to the systematic monitoring of critical environmental and climate parameters, strengthening the country’s capacity for evidence-based decision-making in areas such as the protection of the marine and coastal environment, water resource management, agricultural production, and adaptation to climate change.
The development of relevant infrastructure and collaboration with innovative private-sector companies are key pillars of the national space strategy, with an emphasis on applications of direct public benefit, such as civil protection.