From Kalymnos to the Moon: NASA engineer Peter Psaras behind historic Artemis II mission
Engineer of Greek origin plays key role in humanity’s return to deep space after more than 50 years
A moment of global significance for humanity also brings pride to Kalymnos, as an engineer of Kalymnian descent plays an important role in one of NASA’s most ambitious missions.
Peter T. Psaras, a NASA engineer and Lead Engineer for Propulsion Subsystem Components on the Orion spacecraft, is part of the team driving the Artemis program forward.
Artemis II, launched on April 1, 2026, marks the return of human spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since the Apollo era. Four astronauts traveled around the Moon, capturing unprecedented images and paving the way for future lunar landings.
During the mission, Orion set a new human distance record in space, surpassing Apollo 13. The crew witnessed extraordinary phenomena, including views of the Moon’s far side, Earthrises and sunsets, and even a solar eclipse from space.
Behind the mission stands a global team of scientists and engineers, among them Psaras, who is responsible for guiding propulsion systems from development and testing to flight operations.
His story traces back to Kalymnos. His grandfather, Skevos Psaras, emigrated to the United States in 1959, where the family settled. Peter was born and raised there, eventually rising to a key leadership role within NASA.
For Greeks—and especially for the people of Kalymnos—his journey is a powerful reminder that even a small island can be connected to humanity’s greatest achievements.
The Artemis II crew is expected to return with a splashdown in the Pacific, setting the stage for NASA’s next goal: landing humans on the Moon again within the coming years.
