Greece has launched its first pair of ICEYE radar satellites, adding dedicated national eyes in orbit for disaster response, environmental monitoring and security. The spacecraft rode to space on 28 November 2025 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The launch is the first hardware milestone in the Greek National Small Satellite Programme, which will eventually field 13 Earth observation satellites grouped by instrument type. The initiative is financed by Greece through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility and is intended to build domestic space capability while supporting day-to-day public services.
Radar Pair Leads 13-Satellite Earth Observation Constellation
The Hellenic Space Center and Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance lead the programme, with ESA providing coordination and technical support and overseeing ICEYE’s satellite development. Through ESA’s role, data from the new missions is expected to sit within a shared European system for Earth observation, giving Greece access to both national and multinational sources.
Each ICEYE satellite weighs around 120 kg and carries an X-band synthetic aperture radar able to operate in several imaging modes. The system can collect day-and-night scenes through cloud and smoke, with stated ground resolution down to about 25 cm in its highest-detail mode.
Radar imagery from the pair is expected to feed Greece’s response to floods, wildfires and landslides, where cloud cover or smoke can block optical views. Authorities also plan to use the satellites for maritime surveillance, border monitoring and routine checks on critical infrastructure across the mainland and islands.
Under an agreement with ICEYE, the satellites will be flown as part of the company’s commercial radar fleet. Greece secures priority access to data from its own pair while also being able to task ICEYE’s wider constellation, giving national users more frequent imaging passes as local processing and applications are developed.
The constellation is due to expand again next year, with another eleven satellites joining the Greek system. Four thermal-infrared satellites from OroraTech will focus on heat sources and wildfire detection, while seven high-resolution optical satellites from Open Cosmos will provide detailed views for environmental tracking, agriculture and urban planning.
Taken together, the ICEYE radar pair and the planned thermal and optical missions move Greece from relying mainly on partner missions to running its own layered Earth observation network, linked into ESA’s system for sharing data among Member States.
Published by Ben Ward
Ben Ward studied English Literature and Language at the University of Bristol. With a background in analytical news writing and an interest in space exploration, his work focuses on the connection between science, history, and language. He has a measured approach to space journalism, always prioritising accuracy. He is interested in how the decisions of private industry, government agencies, and scientific institutions shape the future of space exploration. When not writing, He closely follows updates in Geopolitics, Aerospace and Planetary science, considering how humanity’s presence on earth has an influence far beyond it.