Cyprus’s first domestically developed satellite is set for launch in 2026 with the support of NASA and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), marking a significant milestone in the country’s technological advancement, Chief Scientist of the Republic of Cyprus and Chairman of the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), Demetris Skourides, announced.

Skourides officially opened the 6th COSPAR Symposium, taking place in Nicosia from 3–7 November 2025, under the theme “Space Exploration 2025: Humanity’s Challenges and Celestial Solutions.” He said that Cyprus’s National Space Strategy is a key component of the Government’s Vision 2035, which aims to build a resilient, knowledge-based, and innovation-driven economy.

The event, held under the auspices of the Office of the Chief Scientist and with RIF as Grand National Sponsor, brings together leading scientists, policymakers, and industry experts from more than 45 countries and 90 organisations, including NASA, ESA, JAXA, ISRO, and other major space agencies.

The symposium was inaugurated by George Danos, President of the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO), in the presence of five ambassadors, over forty senior international delegates, two astronauts, and leading figures from global space agencies and industry. Notable attendees included Niklas Hedman, COSPAR’s new General Counsel and former Acting Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA); John G. Reed, Chief Rocket Scientist at United Launch Alliance (ULA); and Jean-Yves Le Gall, former CEO of Arianespace.

In a statement released by the Office of the Chief Scientist, Skourides emphasized that hosting one of the world’s foremost gatherings for space research “is not a coincidence but a validation of Cyprus’s strategic vision and its determination to become a regional hub for research, innovation, and high technology.”

He highlighted the establishment of the Cyprus Space Research and Innovation Centre (C-SpaRC) as a landmark development for the country’s scientific and technological progress. The €2.5 million national infrastructure project, funded by RIF, is led by CSEO in collaboration with NASA’s TRISH, Lockheed Martin, the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, and leading Cypriot research institutions.

Skourides also underlined two key milestones in Cyprus’s growing role in international space cooperation: its Associate Membership in the European Space Agency (ESA), achieved in 2023, and the signing of the Artemis Accords with NASA in 2024. Both developments, he noted, strengthen Cyprus’s participation in global space exploration and technological collaboration.

In her opening address, Professor Pascale Ehrenfreund, President of COSPAR, said the event marks the beginning of “a truly exciting week of scientific exchange,” offering a unique platform to advance dialogue and collaboration in space science and technology. She also announced that COSPAR will soon issue a formal statement on the role of space-based observation in advancing international climate research, ahead of the upcoming COP13 in Brazil.

Speaking on behalf of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Georgios Komodromos, Acting Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, highlighted the country’s rapid progress in building its national space ecosystem — including the establishment of C-SpaRC, its ESA membership, and preparations for EU Space Days 2026, which Cyprus will host during its EU Council Presidency.

Representing the Symposium’s Grand Sponsor, Dr. Eric Smith, Director of Optical Sensing and Exploitation at Lockheed Martin Space and Chair of the COSPAR Industry Relations Committee, reaffirmed Lockheed Martin’s longstanding partnership with COSPAR and praised the event for promoting closer ties between industry and scientific research.

Dr. Costas Mavrides, Member of the European Parliament, emphasized Cyprus’s potential to play a vital role in the Mediterranean, advocating for the creation of a European crisis management centre based in Cyprus to address challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and regional security — where space technology could play a central role.

Marios Tannousis, CEO of Invest Cyprus, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to expanding its national space ecosystem through international partnerships and targeted investments.