Five new Greek mini-satellites launched into orbit

Five new Greek miniature satellites have successfully entered orbit after being launched into space Monday by a SpaceX rocket, officials said.

The experimental CubeSats will be used for research in new technologies developed in Greece on secure satellite communications, the Ministry for Digital Governance said. They were launched by a Falcon 9 rocket that took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Two of the miniature satellites – ERMIS 1 and 2 -– were developed by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UOA) and OQ Hellas to display technologies concerning secure satellite connectivity and Internet of Things from space. 

The other three – ERMIS 3, PeakSat and OptiSat – were developed, respectively, by the UOA, the Aristotle Universoty of Thessaloniki and Planetek, and will focus on secure optical satellite connectivity applications and the IoT, connecting with three terrestrial base stations.

Greece now has a total 11 experimental CubeSats in orbit, which will be used in communications, mapping, navigation, farming, town planning and addressing natural disasters, the ministry said.