Poland has entered into an €85 million agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch four satellites by 2027, according to government officials. The agreement took effect on

Monday, as announced by the Polish Ministry of Development and Technology.

Under this arrangement, Poland is on track to have three optoelectronic satellites and one radar satellite, collectively valued at €85 million, within the next four years. This initiative aims to provide Polish authorities with high-resolution Earth observation data and allow domestic companies to gain expertise in satellite system production and integration.

Poland's Development and Technology Minister, Waldemar Buda, noted that the satellite data will serve various purposes, including recording, assessing, and monitoring climate change, environmental pollution, security, and determining state support for farmers and entrepreneurs. He emphasized that Poland's demand for high-resolution data is substantial and that the nation currently lacks its own satellites.

Furthermore, this partnership with ESA is expected to provide unique industry expertise to Poland's satellite-system companies, opening up new contract opportunities and a place within European supply chains. It will also grant them a role in ESA's significant projects.

The government highlights that the space industry significantly contributes to technological and scientific progress across various sectors, affecting people's lives in various ways. Satellite data, for instance, plays a crucial role in assessing road conditions and predicting potential damage, monitoring the threat of floods, observing seas and oceans, analyzing potential fire effects, and enhancing border security, among other applications related to crisis management.

Additionally, the data collected from satellites are utilized by Ukrainian forces involved in the conflict with Russia, particularly to estimate economic losses caused by the war.

The initiative to launch four satellites by 2027 is part of Poland's broader cooperation with ESA, designed to advance the domestic space industry. In August, Poland's development and technology minister and ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher signed three agreements, covering topics such as the participation of Poland's second-ever astronaut in an ESA space mission, ESA internships for Polish university graduates, and the development of Polish space technology. Photo by LukaszKatlewa, Wikimedia commons.