Greece is aiming to take the next big step in its space program: from a country that utilizes satellite data to one that designs and manufactures space systems.
ICEYE recently announced that it plans to establish a large satellite manufacturing facility in Greece. The announcement comes at a time when the country is formulating its first comprehensive national space strategy.
The investment calls for the creation of a mass-production satellite factory capable of manufacturing up to 150 satellites per year, with facilities covering more than 5,000 square meters and creating more than 250 highly specialized jobs.
If implemented as planned, the facility will become ICEYE’s largest production base worldwide and one of the most significant satellite manufacturing facilities in Europe.
“We want to establish a major hub for production, research and development, and innovation for the global space industry in Greece,” Vasilis Haloulakos, ICEYE’s head in Greece, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).
The choice of Greece is not only due to the country’s geographical location but is also linked to the new space strategy presented by the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, in the presence of the prime minister, as part of the “Greece in Orbit – Greece in Orbit” program.
During the presentation, Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that few could have imagined in 2019 that Greece would today have satellites in space, a dynamic ecosystem of companies in the space technology sector, and secured funding of 350 million euros through the Recovery Fund to support the development of future initiatives over the next four years.
The new national program “HELLAS-SPACE 2.0,” with a budget of approximately 350 million euros, constitutes the second phase of Greek space policy and aims to transform space technologies into applications that directly benefit everyday life: from monitoring fires and floods to maritime surveillance, precision agriculture, border security, and secure communications.
During the program’s presentation, the Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Dimitris Papastergiou, emphasized that the country is entering a new phase.
“In recent years, we have built very important infrastructure through the first national microsatellite program. We put Greece into orbit. Today, we are taking the next big step. We are moving from infrastructure development to real, sustainable national capabilities,” he noted.
ICEYE’s new investment is part of precisely this transition: the creation of Greek production capacity in the space sector. The company already has a presence in Greece through the national microsatellite program, having participated in the development and launch of the first Greek SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellites.
The facility will not merely serve as an assembly site. It is expected to feature production lines, testing infrastructure, research laboratories, and expertise in critical satellite subsystems, thereby creating a new ecosystem centered on aerospace technology.
“This is a fully integrated industrial facility with a capacity of hundreds of satellites per year, which will also host research activities on the next-generation space technologies we will produce in Greece for the company’s global fleet, creating significant added value for the Greek economy,” notes Vasilis Haloulakos.
For the government, the goal is to retain added value within the country and develop a Greek industrial base.
“There is also a second, equally important goal: for the Greek space industry to take off as well. We want to see you become leaders in Europe and also export technology and products on a global scale,” stated Mr. Papastergiou.
As the minister emphasized, the new strategy concerns not only technology but also the economy and human resources. “It’s not just a technology program. It’s an investment in people. Highly specialized jobs, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, and research centers, and Greece as a European hub for the space industry,” he said.
The investment is expected to create jobs for space systems engineers, electronics and radar specialists, data scientists, artificial intelligence researchers, as well as specialized personnel for the production and testing of satellite systems.
“Our goal is to increase collaboration with Greek universities, as well as with both start-ups and more established Greek companies, in order to strengthen the national character of our efforts. At the same time, we aim to expand our workforce to several hundred people, significantly strengthening the domestic labor market and helping to bring back to Greece many talented Greeks living abroad,” notes the head of ICEYE in Greece.
At the same time, the new national program also includes training for the next generation. Through the Pan-Hellenic Student Space Program, middle and high school students will have the opportunity to design and build small satellites.
“We are building a new, more modern, and more just state; we are supporting Greek innovation; we are bringing our people back home; and we are inspiring an entire generation to dream big. As high as the human spirit can reach,” noted Dimitris Papastergiou.
The challenge now is for Greece not to limit itself to consuming space services, but to take on the role of a producer. With the new program and the creation of industrial infrastructure, the country is seeking to claim a place on the European map of the new space economy.
“Finally, our vision is to make ICEYE Hellas the hub that will export all this technology to Europe and the rest of the world. And, of course, the hub from which we will operate more directly in the wider neighborhood of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans,” concludes Vasilis Haloulakos.
SOURCE: APE