Poland’s largest and most advanced satellite was launched into orbit on Friday, with the pioneering device set to give the country independent access to high-resolution images of the Earth.
EagleEye was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 11.56 a.m. local time (GMT 1856 or 8.56 p.m. Warsaw time), carried to its low orbit by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Named EagleEye, the satellite was developed by the Space Research Center at the Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK PAN) in collaboration with Creotech Instruments and Scanway.
Dr. Tomasz Barciński of CBK PAN said: “Information regarding the construction of satellites is very limited—the military hardly provides anything, and the industry does not share much information… Most data is kept secret, which is why we had to develop most of the technologies ourselves.”
From a Polish perspective, EagleEye stands to be positively pioneering: “EagleEye weighs over 50 kilograms, which is comparable to the combined mass of the dozen or so Polish satellites that have been built since the beginning of Poland’s participation in space exploration,” said Dr. Grzegorz Brona, the CEO of Creotech Instruments.
He added: “These will be taken in both visible and infrared light—this is the first Polish satellite with such a large telescope, and it can be applied in various manners—from observing military movements to agriculture.”
The development of such a satellite is a significant step away from relying on foreign technology. “Satellites of this type already exist in the world, but the problem is that then you are dependent on other entities,” said Dr. Barciński. “Additionally, there are certain restrictions—even after purchase, you cannot check how such a satellite is built.”
Named EagleEye, the satellite was developed by the Space Research Center at the Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK PAN) in collaboration with Creotech Instruments and Scanway.
Dr. Tomasz Barciński of CBK PAN said: “Information regarding the construction of satellites is very limited—the military hardly provides anything, and the industry does not share much information… Most data is kept secret, which is why we had to develop most of the technologies ourselves.”
From a Polish perspective, EagleEye stands to be positively pioneering: “EagleEye weighs over 50 kilograms, which is comparable to the combined mass of the dozen or so Polish satellites that have been built since the beginning of Poland’s participation in space exploration,” said Dr. Grzegorz Brona, the CEO of Creotech Instruments.
It is not just the size that promises to impress, but also EagleEye’s capabilities. “The images will be of exceptionally high resolution, reaching an order of one meter per pixel,” said Dr. Barciński.Watch Falcon 9 launch 116 payloads to orbit https://t.co/bCvFMhKLhd
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 16, 2024
He added: “These will be taken in both visible and infrared light—this is the first Polish satellite with such a large telescope, and it can be applied in various manners—from observing military movements to agriculture.”
The development of such a satellite is a significant step away from relying on foreign technology. “Satellites of this type already exist in the world, but the problem is that then you are dependent on other entities,” said Dr. Barciński. “Additionally, there are certain restrictions—even after purchase, you cannot check how such a satellite is built.”
Source: TVP
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