Greece launches wildfire satellite headquarters with OroraTech
Iain Hoey
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Athens site to support national wildfire satellite system
OroraTech has announced the opening of a new regional headquarters in Athens to support the development of Greece’s national wildfire monitoring system.
According to OroraTech, the move forms part of its €20 million contract to supply Greece with thermal imaging satellite coverage and data services for wildfire detection and response.
The company reported that the new Athens office will serve as a base for Greek technical operations, hiring, and coordination with national agencies and universities.
The launch event was attended by Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, along with representatives from the European Space Agency, the Hellenic Fire Service, and the Hellenic Space Center.
OroraTech stated that the investment reflects its long-term operational commitment to Greece’s space, climate and emergency response sectors.
Greek minister highlights satellite role in emergency response
Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou said the Athens facility aligns with national ambitions to modernise public services using space-based systems.
Dimitris Papastergiou said: “Greece is leading the way in adopting next-generation technology to address the climate crisis.”
He said: “When I came to the Ministry I took the initiative of changing the whole space policy of Greece.”
He added: “We decided to do something new, with ESA’s support, and today thanks to OroraTech, among the other companies implementing the national space program, we are finally ready to launch our satellites, giving our emergency services an unprecedented ability to detect and respond to wildfires in real time, protecting lives, forests, and communities across our nation.”
OroraTech’s wildfire system includes four thermal satellites and supporting data infrastructure, designed to provide real-time fire detection and alerting services across Greece.
The Ministry of Digital Governance confirmed the system is being developed in coordination with ESA and the Hellenic Space Center.
Local hiring and satellite innovation at core of strategy
The company explained that its local operations are essential to delivering the Greek wildfire monitoring system.
Axel Roenneke, Chief Commercial Officer at OroraTech, said: “By investing in local infrastructure and talent, we are not only supporting our wildfire constellation program but building a long-term foundation for Earth Observation innovation in Greece.”
He said: “We are proud to build in Greece a center of excellence for thermal satellite sensing that will be the gateway for our growth in the region.”
OroraTech said its new base will house engineering, software, and data teams focused on building and operating the country’s wildfire alerting network.
The company has also committed to workforce training and plans to develop academic and industry partnerships.
Satellite programme awarded €20 million national contract
The €20 million contract awarded to OroraTech in 2024 was confirmed as part of Greece’s broader investment in climate technology and space infrastructure.
According to OroraTech, the project includes satellite deployment, data integration, and a national alerting platform for use by emergency services.
The Hellenic Space Center and Ministry of Digital Governance are overseeing the programme alongside ESA support.
OroraTech said its contribution involves both satellite manufacturing and ongoing support, with the Athens base serving as its regional headquarters for this work.
The government said the project reflects a national shift towards real-time risk monitoring using satellite tools.
Further expansion planned through local partnerships
The company stated that its work in Greece is part of a wider strategy to expand satellite thermal sensing capabilities across Europe.
OroraTech said its Athens facility will also support research and development partnerships with Greek institutions.
The company plans to invest further in local hiring, software development, and training.
According to OroraTech, the new headquarters will also serve as a base for future regional projects involving wildfire risk and space-based environmental monitoring.
It confirmed ongoing discussions with Greek universities and research centres for joint programmes in satellite and Earth observation technologies.
Greece launches wildfire satellite headquarters with OroraTech: Summary
OroraTech has opened a new regional headquarters in Athens.
The company is delivering a €20 million wildfire satellite system for Greece.
The launch event was attended by government ministers and ESA officials.
Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance said the project would improve national fire response.
The headquarters will support satellite operations, software engineering and data processing.
OroraTech said the base will also coordinate hiring and training in Greece.
Four thermal imaging satellites are being built under the 2024 contract.
The Ministry of Digital Governance and Hellenic Space Center are leading the project.
ESA is supporting the implementation of the national satellite programme.
OroraTech plans to expand its partnerships with Greek academic and research institutions.
