€38m Cyprus project to deliver commercial earth observation data
Cyprus is stepping into the global spotlight as a new centre for Earth observation, driven by a €38 million European research project that combines cutting-edge satellite technology with scientific expertise.
Based in Limassol, the initiative is transforming the island into a key player in monitoring climate change, natural disasters and environmental sustainability across Europe and beyond.
Run by the Cyprus University of Technology (Tepak), the project has established a state-of-the-art centre for Earth observation and geospatial information to support EU and United Nations sustainable-development goals.
The scientific site is named after Eratosthenes, an ancient Greek mathematician and geographer, and represents a major upgrade of a remote-sensing and geoenvironmental laboratory that the university began operating in 2007 under the same name.
The new centre, established in 2020 shortly after the project started, monitors everything from extreme weather to agriculture.
It also predicts the risks of floods, fires, earthquakes and landslides, while developing services to support decision-making by governmental agencies, local authorities and businesses across Europe.
The EU contributed €15 million through its Horizon Europe research programme to the project, which is called EXCELSIOR and is due to wrap up at the end of 2027 after more than eight years.
The Cypriot government matched the EU funding, and the Tepak provided €8 million.
The emergence of Cyprus as a hub for Earth observation and geospatial information under EXCELSIOR has been made possible thanks to collaboration with project partners from around Europe, highlighting the value of the kind of international cooperation that is a fundamental feature of EU-funded research.
In addition to the Tepak’s Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, the project’s participants in the country include the Cypriot government through the Department of Electronic Communications of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.
The participants abroad include the Germany-based Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Greece-based National Observatory of Athens.
In addition, the project has two affiliated entities: the Cyprus Research and Innovation Center (CyRIC) and Switzerland’s Physical Meteorological Observatory Davos (PMOD).
Cyprus is uniquely suited to lead in Earth observation because the country is situated at the crossroads of three continents, Europe, Africa and Asia, facing common environmental challenges, and has more than 300 days of sunshine a year on average, according to Professor Diofantos Hadjimitsis of theTepak’s Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics.
“This project would not exist without the vision and support of the EU,” said Hadjimitsis, who is also the coordinator of EXCELSIOR and managing director of the new centre.
He added that “We have created a home for scientific excellence, one that brings real value to our country and people and promotes resilient societies and sustainable development internationally.”
The centre, called the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, is bringing world-class science to Limassol by creating high-skilled jobs, career opportunities for young scientists and partnerships with global institutions.
More than 120 people work at the centre, including Cypriot experts and graduates along with researchers from Europe and elsewhere, resulting in a vibrant multicultural setting where scientific excellence thrives.
Among the centre’s leading technologies is a €3.9 million satellite antenna that gives Cyprus practically real-time access to any satellite data, including high-resolution images that help monitor maritime activity, track wildfires, respond to floods and protect coastlines.
It also features Cyprus’s most advanced atmospheric observation station, which provides crucial insights into air quality and climate conditions that affect both human health and agriculture.
In addition, a solar-radiation monitoring network helps forecast ultraviolet radiation and supports planning for renewable energy and farming.
A smart-irrigation platform combines satellite data with artificial intelligence and on-the-ground measurements to help farmers reduce water use and costs.
The centre also uses a remote-sensing system to detect early signs of wear and corrosion in critical concrete infrastructure such as bridges and tunnels, allowing for timely maintenance.
Other tools monitor and protect archaeological sites by using radar, 3D laser scanning and satellite images to assess threats from development, erosion and climate change.
More generally, the EXCELSIOR project has given rise to a national platform for multidimensional data that makes satellite imagery accessible and usable in ways that support Cypriot policy priorities.
Scientists and researchers are in a position to analyse environmental trends and changes in land surfaces, while governmental agencies and policymakers are able to monitor natural resources and plan urban development in Cyprus.
In the autumn of 2025, EXCELSIOR and the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence of Tepak will be featured across Cyprus and Europe in a European campaign to promote research.
Called Science4EU, the campaign will demonstrate how the EU supports scientists, researchers and innovators in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and, as a result, improves citizens’ lives.
More information about the campaign is available here.