Greece: Nurturing a Sustainable and Collaborative Legal and Institutional Framework in Space

Abstract

Space exploration has evolved into a genuinely global endeavour, transcending national boundaries and inspiring a renewed vision for humanity’s presence beyond Earth. In the New Space era, establishing comprehensive national legal and institutional frameworks is pivotal for regulating a country’s space activities, ensuring responsible conduct, fostering international cooperation, and promoting the long-term sustainability of space exploration. In this context, Greece–though a nation with a longstanding tradition in science and astronomy–has only recently entered the modern space arena. The country’s growing involvement, marked by the adoption of its National Space Law (Law 4508/2017) and the establishment of the Hellenic Space Center, constitutes one of its most promising developments in technological governance and international collaboration. This paper explores Greece’s evolving participation in the space domain through adherence to international space law, engagement within the European Union framework, and involvement in multilateral and bilateral initiatives, such as the Artemis Accords. Ultimately, it argues that Greece’s emerging legal and institutional system demonstrates both progress and potential in advancing a sustainable and collaborative approach to space exploration, while identifying areas for further development and reform.