The Greek Ministry of Digital Governance has announced a  €20 million investment in four thermal satellites and a wildfire system with the German thermal intelligence provider OroraTech. 

This project comes as Greece faces hot summer months that include the threat of destructive wildfires. 

In recent years, Greece has experienced a significant number of wildfires that have affected approximately 2 per cent of the country’s total land area. 

Because of its rough mountainous terrain and over 6,000 islands, fighting wildfires in Greece is difficult. Monitoring for fire in remote and mountainous areas, where communication is limited, calls for more advanced detection technologies.

Founded in 2018, OroraTech, a Munich-based company, uses infrared data from satellites to provide wildfire intelligence to Government and private industry customers.

Together with a consortium of Greek subcontractors, OroraTech will deliver a system for wildfire management, including ground systems and processing services, as well as a constellation of thermal imaging satellites dedicated to monitoring the entire country for wildfires. 

This development contract will be implemented by the European Space Agency and led by the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance and the Hellenic Space Center. 

“By investing specifically into orbital technology, we are making a real difference in monitoring wildfires that threaten human lives, our ecosystems, and our economy,” claims Greek Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou. 

“OroraTech’s wildfire detection and monitoring system scans for fires from orbit, creating unmatched situational awareness.”

OroraTech and its Greek partners won the contract in an open tender by the European Space Agency to support the Greek National Satellites Space Program led by the Hellenic Space Center. 

“The capability OroraTech developed through the agency’s funding is a powerful example of space technologies providing immediate and critical benefits here on Earth,” comments the Director of Earth Observation Programmes at the European Space Agency, Simonetta Cheli.

“As the Ministry of Digital Governance and OroraTech build Greece’s thermal constellation, we at the European Space Agency continue providing our expertise as we build a safer and more resilient Europe.”

OroraTech’s data services will be directly connected to the Greek emergency services and employ the expertise of Greek universities and industry.

The company is partnering with the National Technical University of Athens to develop data product algorithms, the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens on space sensor development and calibration initiatives, Satways Ltd. on product interoperability, and Attisat S.A. on building a Greek-based ground station.

According to CEO and CTO Martin Langer of OroraTech:

“The world-class know-how of our Greek partners for thermal sensing is instrumental in providing the best solution for this country.

Greece will be the first country worldwide to have a National satellite-based wildfire system in place.”

OroraTech will significantly invest in Greece over the next few years by opening an operations hub in Athens for its entire fleet of space sensors and a development team dedicated to advanced infrared sensing technology.

Lead image: OroraTech. Photo: uncredited.