In a historic step for Greece’s space program, three Greek-made nanosatellites were successfully launched into space on Monday. The satellites were carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the United States, with the launch and the rocket’s successful upright landing broadcast live to a global audience.
Developed by the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), the three ERMIS satellites are now entering a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles).
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The ERMIS mission: A new era for Greek tech
The ERMIS Hellenic Cubesat Demonstration Mission is designed to validate cutting-edge, homegrown technologies. Key objectives of the mission include:
- 5G & IoT connectivity: Testing satellite-based 5G communications for the Internet of Things
- Hyperspectral imaging: Utilizing high-precision cameras (5m resolution) for national interests, such as smart agriculture
- Inter-satellite links: Developing the ability for satellites to communicate directly with one another in orbit
- Laser communications: Establishing a ground-breaking optical link with the Helmos Ground Station in Greece.
Greece’s €200 million National Microsatellite Program
The ERMIS project serves as the flagship for Greece’s €200 million ($229.5 million) National Microsatellite Program, funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (NextGenerationEU). While the project is coordinated by NKUA, it represents a massive collaborative effort involving OQ Hellas, the University of Patras, the University of the Aegean, and the National Observatory of Athens.
The mission is being overseen by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the strategic support of the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance. It will certify several “Made in Greece” innovations for the first time, including:
- Hardware acceleration: On-board image processing using advanced hardware accelerators for data compression
- Space standards: Implementation of CCSDS optical channel coding
- Autonomous control: Advanced algorithms for high-precision satellite positioning and attitude control
Related: Greek Nanosatellite Designed and Built by Students Ready for Launch