Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced that Adrianos Golemis will become the first Greek astronaut, joining a European space crew planned for launch in 2027.
The announcement took place at the International Space Summit in Paris, where Mitsotakis shared the stage with French President Emmanuel Macron to introduce the crew selected for the upcoming PAM-6 mission.
The four-person crew will be led by a French astronaut and will feature Golemis, an astronaut from the Czech Republic, and a representative from one additional European country.
Macron invited Mitsotakis to present Golemis before an audience of approximately 2,000 guests and official delegates representing around 90 countries. The French president noted that space exploration is no longer reserved for traditional 20th-century superpowers, but now includes smaller nations that previously lacked space management capabilities.
Commercial Space Mission Scheduled for 2027
The PAM-6 spaceflight is scheduled for launch during the second half of 2027. The mission will be operated by private space firm Vast, working in partnership with the European Space Agency and NASA.
Vast is an American commercial aerospace company focused on building private space stations in low Earth orbit. The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization of 22 member states, including Greece and France, that coordinates European space research and exploration activities.
Addressing the gathering in Paris, Mitsotakis outlined the rapid expansion of Greece's domestic space capabilities. He noted that while Greece lacked a space program, formal strategy, or orbital presence just a few years ago, the nation now operates 18 satellites in orbit.
Mitsotakis added that Greece is actively building a domestic satellite manufacturing industry and attracting young Greek professionals with space sector experience back to the country.
Scientific Research and Inspiration for Students
During the mission, Golemis will perform a series of scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station, a joint space laboratory maintained by international partner agencies.
Mitsotakis stated that beyond the scientific value of the experiments, the historic flight will inspire young people in Greece to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). He emphasized the importance of encouraging children to pursue technical fields and dream of space rather than spending excessive time on digital devices.
The prime minister expressed shared concerns with Macron about youth attachment to social media algorithms, observing that designing microsatellites in school projects offers a far more constructive focus for students.
National Heritage and European Space Cooperation
Mitsotakis expressed confidence that Golemis will make Greece proud and said he looked forward to seeing the Greek national flag displayed aboard the International Space Station.
He also highlighted that NASA routinely draws upon ancient Greek mythology when naming its space exploration programs, citing the historic Apollo lunar missions and the ongoing Artemis program, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon.
Adrianos Golemis studied medicine and space biology before working with the European Space Agency as a flight surgeon, monitoring astronaut health during missions on the space station. His selection marks the first time Greece will send a national into space, reflecting broader European efforts to expand astronaut participation among member states.
