Four Greek thermal satellites were successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and are now in orbit around the Earth, as part of the “National Micro-Satellite Programme.”
The launch reportedly marks an important step forward in strengthening the country’s Civil Protection capabilities and climate resilience.
The system, developed by OroraTech, is the first national satellite constellation designed for the detection and monitoring of wildfires.
Through its deployment, Greece is acquiring for the first time an integrated wildfire monitoring system, significantly enhancing prevention, preparedness, and the rapid response capacity of the relevant authorities.
The data will be integrated into the Government Earth Observation Hub, creating a unified operational intelligence environment for the public administration.
The four specialised thermal satellites are designed to detect and track wildfires in near real time. Using advanced thermal sensors, they will provide continuous monitoring of fire progression, early detection of hotspots, and precise mapping of impacts.
At the same time, the new satellites will deliver high-precision data on sea surface temperatures, coastal zones, and inland water bodies (lakes and reservoirs), as well as on various land-use categories-from agricultural and forest areas to urban environments and wetlands. In this way, they will make a decisive contribution to the systematic monitoring of critical environmental and climate parameters, strengthening the country’s capacity for evidence-based decision-making in areas such as marine and coastal protection, water resource management, agricultural production, and climate change adaptation.
