The announcement by the Greek Prime Minister at the International Space Summit regarding Adrianos Golemis' participation in the PAM-6 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), as part of an agreement between the Hellenic Republic, ESA, and VAST, marks a historic moment for our country.
And this announcement did not come by chance.
It comes as a natural continuation of Greece's systematic and long-term investment in Space:
- with 18 satellites already in orbit,
- with the new National Space Program HELLAS-SPACE 2.0,
- with the development of critical infrastructures, such as the GOVSATCOM Hub and the Space Object Tracking Radar (HSTR),
- with participation in European programs for secure and resilient governmental satellite communications.
Greece is mentioned in the recent OECD report, “The Space Economy at a Glance 2026,” along with countries such as Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and Finland, for its goals and priorities in the Space sector.
According to the OECD, the global space economy reached $550–600 billion in 2025, while active satellites exceeded 15,000.
Space is no longer a specialized sector. It is critical infrastructure for security, the economy, technological development, and our daily lives.
For the General Secretariat of Telecommunications and Post of the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence and ELKED, Space is an integral part of the planning for the next generation of secure, resilient, and technologically advanced space infrastructures, while also enhancing national and European technological autonomy.
Adrianos Golemis, a graduate of the Medical School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, ESA Flight Surgeon, and member of the ESA Astronaut Reserve since 2022, will undergo intensive training in Europe and the USA in the coming months, with the participation of ESA, NASA, VAST, and SpaceX.
The mission is scheduled for the second half of 2027, with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon spacecraft.
Beyond its strong symbolic value, the mission will activate a broad program of Greek scientific experiments, technological demonstrations, and educational activities, creating new opportunities for Greek universities, research centers, and industry.
Greece has made significant steps and investments in Space.
The next generation of Greek scientists, engineers, and innovators now has one more reason to look up.