Hellenic Space Dawn

The Hellenic Space Dawn (HSD) mission marks a flagship milestone for Greece’s space sector.

Under a €4 million contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance, Emtech leads the design, development, launch, and operations of two 8U CubeSats, HELIOS and SELENE.

This initiative represents the country’s first end-to-end satellite development and operation initiative led entirely by Greek entities, proving that domestic expertise can manage the full spacecraft lifecycle.

The HSD constellation is designed to validate Greek space technologies in-orbit while providing high-performance Earth Observation data.

Beyond traditional imaging, the satellites are equipped with Onboard/Edge AI processing to enable rapid image analysis for ship detection, flood monitoring, and urban change mapping with a high revisit rate of five passes per day. Simultaneously, the mission pushes the boundaries of connectivity by conducting laser optical communication experiments, advancing Greece’s role in emerging secure, high-speed data transmission technologies.

As the Prime Contractor, EMTECH manages the entire scope of the HSD mission. 

From Project and Quality Assurance Management to Mission Analysis and the development of the Ground Segment. Beyond delivering hardware, we are fostering a national ecosystem by leading a consortium of five Greek SMEs and three academic institutions. Through this leadership, we have advanced Greece’s simulation, control, and AI capabilities, positioning the country as a credible European partner in next-generation CubeSat missions and advanced optical communication technologies.

As New Space missions grow in complexity, the need for comprehensive simulation becomes vital for risk mitigation.

EMTECH has developed a Holistic Simulator tailored to the New Space domain, building upon institutional-grade standards to support the entire development lifecycle. By enabling seamless model reuse—from the Functional Engineering Simulator (FES) to the Software Validation Facility (SVF) and the Operational Simulator (OPSIM)—we have created an integrated environment that ensures mission confidence from the first line of code to the final in-orbit command.

To ensure sub-degree pointing accuracy, EMTECH utilizes its dedicated ADCS Test Facility.

EMTECH’s in-house Helmholtz Coil Facility accurately replicates orbital magnetic fields using a high-precision Helmholtz cage and provides a frictionless environment via air-bearing structures, simulating the microgravity conditions of space. The integrated PERM/DEPERM subsystem allows for comprehensive magnetization testing compliant with ECSS EMC standards, preventing satellite’s residual dipole interference. Fully integrated with our Holistic Simulator, the facility enables Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) testing and automated mode transitions. This validation chain is critical for verifying the fine-pointing stability required for laser communications, eliminating operational risks long before orbit.

De-risking Direct-to-Earth & Inter-Satellite Laser Communications

To master the complexity of optical links, EMTECH has built a high-fidelity End-to-End (E2E) Optical Simulator that models the entire communication chain with engineering-grade precision. From satellite Fine Steering Mirror (FSM) control dynamics and beam-pointing jitter to atmospheric turbulence, scintillation, and cloud attenuation, the simulator captures real-world physics that define link performance. It incorporates detailed detector modeling to deliver statistically rigorous Bit Error Rate (BER) and reliability predictions.

The Result

• Exhaustive link budget sensitivity analysis
• Performance evaluation across orbital and environmental conditions
• Early optimization of communication protocols and pointing algorithms
• Accurate mission planning and pass feasibility predictions
• Link margin validation per pass

This virtual testbed enables EMTECH to validate performance limits, reduce mission risk, and refine system design long before hardware reaches orbit.

Hellenic Space Dawn is a strategic step that matures the Greek space ecosystem.

By managing the full mission lifecycle—from initial design and high-fidelity simulation to launch and in-orbit operations—EMTECH has established a proven blueprint for future small-satellite constellations. This mission confirms that through the right synergy of engineering rigor and New Space agility, we deliver reliable, end-to-end solutions that meet both national requirements and international standards.