About us

Established in April 2018.

BEAM (Beyond Earth Aristotle Missions) is a student group, active in the field of space and space research, housed in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The idea for the creation of the group came in April of 2018 from students of the University. BEAM is comprised of students from any school of the University with the time and desire to pursue a career in the sector and to apply and expand their knowledge on a theoretical and practical level.

Although relatively new in the field of space, BEAM is already the first Greek student team to be selected for the REXUS/BEXUS programme. What’s more, the team managed to secure a position in the programme for three years in a row. The REXUS/BEXUS programme is realised under a bilateral Agency Agreement between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA). The REXUS/BEXUS programme is further realised with the help of ESA, ZARM, Eurolaunch, MORABA and SSC.

Our Mission

To take up and realise projects concerning innovation and research, relative to space technology and its modern applications.

Our Vision

To give all students of AUTh the chance to apply their knowledge in a friendly and educational environment, providing them with the biggest chance to find a career in the space sector along the way

Our Values

Teamwork
Cooperation
Resourcefulness
Love for space
Motivation to explore

April 1, 2018

BEAM was founded

A group of students from the Electronics Engineer school of AUTh creates BEAM with the goal of partaking in the REXUS/BEXUS programme

April 1, 2018

January 10, 2018

SHADE selected to partake in REXUS/BEXUS Cycle 12

BEAM with its experiment, SHADE, becomes the first Greek student team to be selected to partake in the REXUS/BEXUS programme

January 10, 2018

January 1, 2019

2nd Generation Recruitment

BEAM holds a recruitment day for a second year with the purpose of hiring new members and creating a new experiment

January 1, 2019

June 1, 2019

LIGHT selected for IGLUNA2020

BEAM’s experiment, LIGHT was selected to partake for the first time in the IGLUNA2020 programme

June 1, 2019

October 23, 2019

SHADE flies with BEXUS28

SHADE completes the 12^th cycle of the REXUS/BEXUS programme after a successful flight in the BEXUS28

October 23, 2019

November 26, 2019

ECOWISE selected to partake in REXUS/BEXUS Cycle 13

BEAM’s experiment, ECOWISE is selected to partake in REXUS/BEXUS cycle 13, making BEAM the first Greek student team to be part of REXUS/BEXUS for 2 years in a row

November 26, 2019

January 24, 2020

Formation of BEAM Marketing team

BEAM’s marketing team was founded, with the purpose of collectively aiding all of BEAM’s projects by creating content for outreach, acquiring resources and sponsorships, and communicating the team’s goals and successes with the public

January 24, 2020

June 1, 2020

3rd Generation Recruitment

BEAM holds its 3^rd recruitment day with the purpose of creating new subteams to realise new projects under BEAM’s wing

June 1, 2020

June 30, 2020

LIGHT2 selected for IGLUNA2021

As LIGHT was not completed as its initial purpose due to its virtual campaign, BEAM decided to evolve it and create LIGHT2 to take part in IGLUNA2021 with more advanced goals

June 30, 2020

July 10, 2020

LIGHT Virtual Campaign

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, IGLUNA2020 field campaign was done virtually and the cycle of experiments for that year came to a close

July 10, 2020

October 5, 2020

REXUS/BEXUS flights delayed

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the REXUS/BEXUS flight campaign was postponed to October 2021

October 5, 2020

June 16, 2021

LIGHT2 Field Campaign

Light2 experiment was presented virtually for a second year due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

June 16, 2021

November 9, 2021

LISER selected to take part in CanSat in Greece

BEAM was selected to take part in the CanSat in Greece programme organized by SPIN , with its satellite LISER

November 9, 2021

December 7, 2021

DROPSTAR is selected to take part in REXUS/BEXUS Cycle 14

BEAMs project, DROPSTAR, becomes the first Greek student project selected to fly in a single stage parabolic rocket, by being accepted into the REXUS/BEXUS programme

December 7, 2021

March 23, 2021

REXUS/BEXUS Cycle 14 postponed

Due to the current geopolitical situation, all flight cycles of the REXUS/BEXUS campaign were postponed, with the DROPSTAR flight date being transferred to March 2024

March 23, 2021

The team’ s objectives are:
-Study and implementation of innovative ideas in the field of space technology

-Gaining knowledge and experience on space missions, from scratch to final completion

-Strengthening the interest and promotion of the space sector in Greece

-Promotion of the Aristotle University in the relevant space-related industries

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

I don’t have any prior experience, can I still become a member of BEAM?

There are some requirements depending on the position you are going for. But in general, we don’t need you to bring your experience to the team, but instead, we want your love for space, teamwork, positive attitude towards your project, and will to learn.

How do I apply for a project?

Send us your CV either at the team’s email or the email of the project you want to apply for and we’ll come back to you shortly!

Do I need to be an undergraduate student to apply for a project?

It mostly depends on the project you are going for. BEAM is a volunteer student team but there have been many times when we needed the expertise of a graduate or PhD student. Nonetheless, some programmes and competitions restrict the sponsorships for graduate students.

If the project I participated in finishes, do I get a kind of participation certificate?

The team cannot issue an official participation document, but the programmes and the competitions usually do. As for any private projects, you could get a Recommendation Letter by contacting the professor in charge.

I want to sponsor the team, how can I do that?

Contact us either at the team’s email or the email of the project you want to sponsor and we’ll come back to you shortly!

Does BEAM only enter international programmes or does it also take on private projects?

Both! International programmes are our speciality and that’s why most of our projects belong in this category. Sometimes, though, we take on private projects such as the manufacturing of a radiotelescope.

I study at another university, can I still be a part of BEAM?

Of course, there have been many BEAM members that studied in IHU Sindos or Serres. The only restriction could be the distance as, during manufacturing periods, you would be asked to be present if you are in an engineering field.

How often do recruitments occur?

Recruitments open either by each project when needed, which doesn’t have specific dates, or annually through mass recruitments for new programmes and projects.

I have an idea for a project. How can I propose for BEAM to take it on?