Bulgaria will invest up to BGN 35 million in its own satellites

Bulgaria will invest up to BGN 35 million in its own satellite capacity over the next two years. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev to journalists on Tuesday.

He explained that these are satellites that will orbit in low Earth orbit (LEO). This is the space at an altitude of up to 2,000 km above the Earth's surface, where natural disasters, climate change, and agricultural areas can be monitored. Some communication satellites (such as SpaceX's Starlink) are also located there. The International Space Station (ISS) is also located in LEO.

Donchev explained that the idea is for the satellites to be used by state institutions, including the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Defense.

They will monitor the entire territory of the country to prevent risks such as fires, floods, pollution, and natural disasters, and will also be used for national security purposes,” Donchev said.

However, he added that this would not be a “megalomaniac project,” but rather “a very simple ground center that will process all information with different hierarchies and access rights.”

The project is expected to be officially announced this fall, and its implementation will continue over the next two years. According to Donchev, there is a possibility that some of our neighboring countries, as well as some European structures, will be invited to participate.

Translated with DeepL.