Nicosia: Cyprus’s first domestically developed satellite is set for launch in 2026 with the backing of NASA and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), marking a significant milestone in the nation’s technological progress, according to Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus and Chairman of the Research and Innovation Foundation.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Skourides made this announcement while officially opening the 6th COSPAR Symposium, which is being held in Nicosia from November 3-7, 2025. The symposium, themed ‘Space Exploration 2025: Humanity’s Challenges and Celestial Solutions,’ is a major event underscoring Cyprus’s commitment to its National Space Strategy, part of the Government’s Vision 2035 plan aimed at building a resilient, knowledge-based, and innovation-driven economy.
The symposium is under the auspices of the Office of the Chief Scientist, with the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) as the Grand National Sponsor. It brings together leading scientists, policymakers, and industry representatives from more than 45 countries and 90 organizations, including famed space agencies such as NASA, ESA, JAXA, and ISRO.
The event was inaugurated by George Danos, President of the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO), in the presence of five ambassadors, over forty senior global delegates, two astronauts, and notable figures from global space agencies and industry, including Niklas Hedman, COSPAR’s new General Counsel, John G. Reed from United Launch Alliance, and Jean-Yves Le Gall, former CEO of Arianespace.
Skourides noted that hosting a prestigious gathering like the COSPAR Symposium underscores Cyprus’s strategic vision and determination to become a regional hub for research and high technology. He highlighted the establishment of the Cyprus Space Research and Innovation Centre (C-SpaRC) as a landmark achievement, funded with £2.5 million by RIF and led by CSEO, in collaboration with NASA’s TRISH, Lockheed Martin, and other research institutions.
He also emphasized Cyprus’s Associate Membership in the European Space Agency, achieved in 2023, and its signing of the Artemis Accords with NASA in 2024, which significantly bolster Cyprus’s role in global space exploration.
Professor Pascale Ehrenfreund, President of COSPAR, remarked on the symposium’s significance as a platform for advancing dialogue and collaboration in space science and technology. She announced that COSPAR will soon release a statement on the crucial role of space-based observation in international climate research, ahead of COP13 in Brazil.
Georgios Komodromos, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, highlighted Cyprus’s rapid progress in its national space ecosystem, including the upcoming EU Space Days in 2026.
Dr. Eric Smith from Lockheed Martin Space praised the symposium for fostering industry and scientific collaboration, while Dr. Costas Mavrides, a Cypriot Member of the European Parliament, advocated for a European crisis management center in Cyprus, emphasizing the role of space technology in addressing regional challenges.
Marios Tannousis, CEO of Invest Cyprus, reiterated the country’s commitment to supporting the national space ecosystem through international partnerships and investment.