Greece selects its first astronaut for 2027 ISS mission
Historic space mission marks Greece's entry into human spaceflight.
1Historic selection
Adrianos Golemis will become Greece's first astronaut pending approval by ISS partners. The European Space Agency signed an agreement with US company Vast for a 2027 mission. Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the deal alongside French President Macron at the Paris Space Summit. This marks Greece's entry into human spaceflight through the sixth private astronaut mission to ISS.
2Mission details
The Vast-PAM-1 mission will fly on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft launched by Falcon 9 rocket. Golemis will serve as mission specialist alongside two ESA colleagues: French commander Thomas Pesquet and Czech pilot Aleš Svoboda. The final crew member's name will be announced later. The Multilateral Crew Operations Panel, representing five space agencies including NASA and Roscosmos, must approve all crew selections by consensus.
3Astronaut background
Golemis studied medicine in Thessaloniki and earned a Master of Space Sciences in Strasbourg. He spent a year in Antarctica conducting isolation experiments for ESA in 2014. Since 2018, he's served as an ESA flight surgeon providing medical support to astronauts. His selection comes from ESA's 2022 astronaut recruitment. Training will occur in Europe and US, with initial sessions starting September 2024 in America.
4Strategic significance
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher called this 'a historic moment for Greece.' The mission enables Greek experiments in medicine, physiology, agri-food and materials science. Greece's Digital Minister noted it creates new research opportunities. The announcement coincided with Europe's push for space autonomy, with Aschbacher proposing independent European crew launch capabilities by year-end decision.
5European space ambitions
The selection was announced at a summit focused on European space independence. Macron stated 'Europe is taking its destiny into its own hands.' ESA seeks mandate to develop European crew vehicles and launch systems. Meanwhile, ArianeGroup confirmed Ariane 6's technical capability for crewed flights. Recent milestones include Isar Aerospace's successful commercial orbital launch from Norway.
6Industry developments
European space companies are advancing despite US pressure. The Exploration Company raised $450M to develop Nyx spacecraft and heavy-lift rockets. EU's IRIS2 satellite constellation progresses toward 2030 completion. Britain committed £7.8B to space strategy including £149M for ESA's Vigil mission. These developments occur as US companies SpaceX and Blue Origin withdrew from the Paris summit under White House influence.
7Medical expertise
Golemis brings unique medical qualifications including extreme environment experience. His Antarctic research studied human physiology and psychology in isolation - directly applicable to space missions. As ESA flight surgeon since 2018, he's supported astronaut health protocols. This background proves valuable for long-duration ISS missions and future deep space exploration requiring advanced medical oversight.
8New space era
Greece's astronaut selection signals expanding access to space beyond traditional powers. The Vast partnership demonstrates private sector's growing role in human spaceflight. For Europe, this mission balances international cooperation with autonomous ambitions. The 2027 flight will inspire Greek STEM participation while providing valuable microgravity research data across multiple scientific disciplines.
Original article: The Next Web — Greece selects its first astronaut for 2027 ISS mission