Report: Greece Is Very Serious About Joining Space Race, Says Telecom Minister Nikos Pappas
Greece is one of the few European countries that was lacking space agency. The country's minister of Digital policy, Telecommunication, and media Nikos Pappas has expressed the country's interest in going to space.
According to Bloomberg Technology, as a European country, Greek is not matched up with other countries in terms of Space research. The countries telecommunication and education minister expressed their interest that the Greek space agency will coordinate public and private institutions in order to make best capabilities in the sector of space satellite and application.
Nikos Pappas, an economic researcher in Strathclyde, Scotland have joined the Greek government in January 2015 and became telecoms minister. For the improvement of telecoms, he presented a draft bill in January for the creation of National Center for Space Application.
The internal report from Greek government reported the launch of the space agency is part of the Greek government's drive to stem the country's brain drain. Since 2008, the Greek Central Bank estimates around 427,000 educated Greeks people have left the country. The minister said the new agency will create numerous new jobs and also new opportunities to Greek scientists.
In the early summer, the Greek has launched of Hellas Sat 3 that will take its place on the Greek orbital position. The satellite will significantly broaden the Greek capacity to host satellite applications, both for the public and private.
The Greek government report has stated that it is not the first time Greece has attempted to conquer space in the era of the bailouts. The defense minister in 2013 Antonis Samaras' had also announced the government's intention to set up a space missile launch base in Kalamata, Southern Greece.
However, the Greek's new minister is also keen to promote start-ups as well as a space adventure. The Greek government has already spent around 400,000 Euros on its presence at mobile world congress in Barcelona.
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