First Greek Astronaut to Join International Space Station (VIDEO)

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Greece is set to send its first astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2027, in what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described as a “very special moment” for the country.

French President Emmanuel Macron invited Mitsotakis to speak first among the heads of state and government attending an international space conference in Paris, where the Greek Prime Minister introduced Greek astronaut Adrianos Golemis to around 2,000 guests and representatives from approximately 90 countries.

Mitsotakis said Greece had transformed its position in the space sector in recent years.

“Several years ago, Greece had no presence in space. We had neither a space programme nor a space strategy,” he said. “Now we have 18 satellites in orbit. We are developing our own satellite manufacturing ecosystem and bringing young Greeks with experience in the space sector back to our country.”

He then announced that Golemis would become the first Greek astronaut to travel to space as part of a Vast mission.

“Today we are very proud to announce that the first Greek astronaut will be sent into space,” Mitsotakis said. “His name is Adrianos Golemis. It is a very special moment for Greece.”

Mitsotakis said Golemis could inspire Greek children to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics rather than spending excessive time on social media.

He also linked the mission to a shared interest with Macron in reducing children’s dependence on social media algorithms.

“It is much better for them to dream about space and build microsatellites, as they do at school,” he said.

Mitsotakis added that he was proud to see the Greek flag at the International Space Station and joked about NASA’s continued use of names from ancient Greek mythology for major space programmes.

“After Apollo, it is now Artemis,” he said. “Who knows what will come next when we decide to go to Mars.”

Four-nation crew

Greek diplomatic sources said the PAM-6 mission will carry four astronauts to the International Space Station.

The crew will include Golemis, a French astronaut who will serve as commander, a Czech astronaut and a representative from another European country.

The mission will operate through Vast in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, with the current schedule targeting the second half of 2027.

The ESA will implement the mission on behalf of Greece. The flight forms part of the first private astronaut mission to the ISS that NASA awarded to Vast.

Subject to approval by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), Golemis will serve as a mission specialist. The panel includes representatives from the five ISS partners: NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Canadian Space Agency.

If the panel grants its approval, Golemis will officially become the first Greek astronaut.

Golemis is an ESA flight physician and has already completed parts of the Astronaut Reserve Training programme earlier this year. He has now formally become an ESA Project Astronaut and will begin specialised training for the ISS mission.

He will train across Europe and the United States over the coming months, preparing for every stage of the mission, from launch through to his return to Earth.

SpaceX to handle launch

The mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carried by a Falcon 9 rocket.

Golemis will travel to the United States in September for one of the first stages of his new training programme, working with teams from Vast, SpaceX and NASA.

SpaceX will train him on the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, emergency procedures, spacesuit operations and spacecraft entry and exit procedures. The programme will also include partial and full mission simulations.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher called the mission a historic moment for Greece and said the country’s increased investment in space was creating new opportunities for scientists and engineers.

“This is more than a single flight,” Aschbacher said, highlighting Greece’s growing space sector and the country’s contribution to European space capabilities.

Greek Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou said the mission resulted from a sustained national effort through Greece’s National Space Strategy, investment in space programmes and ESA, and greater cooperation between Greek industry and the research community.

He said the mission would also provide opportunities for Greek scientific experiments and technology demonstrations in areas including medicine, human physiology, agri-food, materials and sensors.

Above all, Papastergiou said, Greece wants the mission to inspire a new generation of Greek students to pursue careers in science, technology and engineering.

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