ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgarian satellite Balkan-1 has been launched into space from base in USA

The satellite is a development of the Bulgarian company EnduroSat
Photo: БТА

The Bulgarian satellite Balkan-1 has been launched into Earth orbit to transmit data for the EU's Copernicus programme. The satellite is a development of the Bulgarian company EnduroSat and was launched into space from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara, California, onboard a SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. 

The mission was monitored online at the Naval Postgraduate School Planetarium in Varna. 

The satellite is part of the EU's major space programme, which aims to explore various features of the Earth. It can monitor maritime areas and ships, provide disaster relief, land mapping, coastal monitoring and strategic infrastructure. 

On board the satellite there is a multispectral sensor detecting the content of various chemicals and elements in water and soil, monitoring their quality, analyzing the level of various pollutants and microplastic content. 

This is the first all-Bulgarian satellite with a scientific and security function, Lyubomir Toshev from the Bulgarian company explained to BTA. So far, the company has launched dozens of other satellites, but they have commercial purposes. 
"Balkan-1 is a 32 kg nanosatellite and its sensor has a resolution whose pixel corresponds to 1.5 meters of the Earth's surface. It orbits 500 km above the Earth. It has a planned lifetime of five years, after which it is intended to burn up in the stratosphere to avoid creating space debris, Toshev added.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria News    Balkan-1 Copernicus programme Earth EnduroSat Lyubomir Toshev nanosatellite satellite space

More from category

Demolition of illegal Roma settlement underway in Sofia

In Sofia's Zaharna Fabrika neighbourhood, in the Ilinden municipality, the authorities have begun demolishing illegal structures inhabited by members of the Roma community. The municipality assures full cooperation with the citizens. The demolition..

published on 4/15/25 3:47 PM

Bulgaria reaps success at EXPO 2025 in Japan

Having made a triumphant return to EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan, after 55 years, Bulgaria's pavilion at the world expo is enjoying huge interest. "The investment interest of Japanese entrepreneurs shows that we are on the right track," said Deputy..

published on 4/15/25 3:05 PM
Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova

Finance Minister Petkova confirms Bulgaria's readiness for eurozone integration

Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova has announced that Bulgaria is ready to join the eurozone. She made the statement at a business breakfast hosted by the American and British Chambers of Commerce in Bulgaria. Minister Petkova emphasised that Bulgaria..

published on 4/15/25 1:37 PM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 24
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 13
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 13
Partly Cloudy
Min: 12 | Max: 22
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 20
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 23
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 22
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 17
Partly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 21
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 23
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 23
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 21
Partly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 22
Partly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 20
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 22
Partly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 23
Partly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 20
Partly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 24
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 20
Partly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 20
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 6 | Max: 18
Partly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 21
Partly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 22
Partly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 20
Partly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 23
Partly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 23
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

Finance Minister Petkova confirms Bulgaria's readiness for eurozone integration

Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova has announced that Bulgaria is ready to join the eurozone. She made the statement at a business breakfast hosted by..

published on 4/15/25 1:37 PM

Bulgarian Banitsa ranks third in prestigious culinary ranking

The traditional Bulgarian banitsa has ranked third in the Best Cheese Dishes list by  Taste Atlas . The Bulgarian Banitsa with Cheese earned 4.5..

published on 4/15/25 10:53 AM

Bulgaria opts out of selling Belene NPP reactors

The reactors intended for Bulgaria's unrealised second nuclear power plant project - Belene - will not be sold. This was announced to journalists by..

published on 4/15/25 4:24 PM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"