British space technology firm Open Cosmos has been awarded a €60 million (£51 million) contract to build and deploy satellites for Greek constellations.
This significant project will enable Open Cosmos to provide high-resolution imagery to the Greek government, supporting various public service initiatives including land registry, pollution reduction, and agricultural improvements.
The program, conducted in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), marks a major milestone for Open Cosmos, an Oxfordshire-based company founded in 2015.
The contract follows a similar initiative by ESA last year, which saw a Scottish space tech firm, Skyrora, being awarded a contract.
Open Cosmos founder and CEO Rafel Jorda Siquier expressed his pride in securing the contract amidst fierce competition from leading global players in the industry.
“It is an honour to be chosen for such a crucial program for Greece and I’m incredibly proud of the team’s achievement in securing this contract,” Siquier stated.
He emphasized that winning this contract confirm the hard work and advanced satellite technology developed by Open Cosmos.
Enhancing Greek Public Services
The satellites developed by Open Cosmos will carry optical and hyperspectral cameras, along with Internet of Things (IoT) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) receivers.
These technologies will provide vital data for various Greek government initiatives, including improving land registry accuracy, reducing sea pollution, and enhancing agricultural practices.
Greek Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, highlighted the broader economic and technological benefits of the program.
“By investing in both capacity-buying and capacity-building space programs, our aim is to stimulate local high-tech space industries, foster job creation, retain our skilled engineers and space experts in the country, and attract additional talent,” Papastergiou said.
He emphasized that the development of cutting-edge satellite technology would bolster long-term economic resilience and integrate advanced science and technology sectors into the Greek economy.
The Greek satellites will be integrated into OpenConstellation, a shared space infrastructure project led by Open Cosmos.
This initiative aims to make vital data gathered from orbit accessible to a wide range of users.
Additionally, the Greek satellites will be fully compatible with the Atlantic Constellation, a satellite network developed by Portugal and Spain for climate monitoring and disaster mitigation.
Open Cosmos plans to establish a new office in Greece to oversee the satellite project, further contributing to the local economy and high-tech industry.
Securing this contract positions Open Cosmos at the forefront of satellite data providers, opening doors for future collaborations and expanding the company’s reach in the space technology sector.
Open Cosmos raised £40 million in a Series B funding round last year, which has enabled the company to transition from developing cubesat-class spacecraft to larger microsatellites and further build out the OpenConstellation project.
“This achievement not only reflects our technological prowess but also our commitment to making satellite data more accessible and impactful globally,” Siquier added.
