Czech Republic sends its largest defence satellite into space

The Czech Republic on Tuesday launched its largest satellite to date, SATurnin-1, into space to provide defence and security. Unlike other satellites, it is not dependent on foreign technology and its main task is to take images of the Earth. The satellite was developed by the Research Test and Aerospace Institute (RTAI) Aerospace on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. It was carried into orbit by a Falcon-9 rocket from SpaceX.

“SATurnin-1 will further expand the capabilities of the Military Intelligence and its satellite centre, which has been under construction since 2018. The images taken by the centre are used not only for the purposes of ensuring the defence and security of the Czech Republic or its alliance partners, but also by state administration and crisis management authorities when necessary,” explained Defence Minister Jana Černochová (ODS).

“The Czech Republic did not have such a powerful satellite. The satellite provides certain precise data so that our country has global information that is not normally available,” said Josef Kašpar, the director general of the institute.

SATurnin-1 is the largest Czech satellite in space. The satellite has a span of 87 centimetres when the solar panels are extended, and its body measures 32 x 22.5 x 22.5 centimetres. Its weight is approximately fourteen kilograms. The main instrument is a high-resolution telescope designed for imaging the Earth, which has a capacity of up to 100 images per day. The data on board is processed by artificial intelligence algorithms.

“In today’s world, it is increasingly becoming clear that having the ability to take images from space, and through them analyse what is happening on Earth, is a security and economic necessity. SATurnin-1 is another of VZLU Aerospace’s important satellite missions that help the Czech Republic meet its interests while contributing to the knowledge, technical and commercial development of the Czech space industry,” Kašpar continued.

The first proposal was made in 2022

Important components of the satellite were developed by companies and institutions in the Czech Republic and integrated at VZLU Aerospace in Letňany, Prague. The first design of the satellite was created in 2022, integration started in 2023 and completed in September 2024. SATurnin-1 was then transported from the Czech Republic to the USA for launch in October 2024. On the inside of one of the satellite’s walls are engraved the names of those involved in the development, as well as those of the procurement team.

“In SATurnin-1, we have a unique indigenous source of satellite data that can be used as a priority for long-term monitoring of areas of interest. At the same time, it will bring us financial savings in the future, as we will be less dependent on commercial foreign providers of satellite imagery data,” said Military Intelligence Director Petr Bartovsky.

Currently, the Institute is working on the AMBIC programme, which will be a satellite that will also monitor the Earth’s surface, but for purposes other than security. “We are also preparing a satellite with scientific potential, which could give scientists information about the formation of heavy elements, and then two satellites called VZLUGEM,” Kašpar added.

On Tuesday, a US Falcon-9 rocket carried into space, among other things, the TROLL satellite developed by Brno-based TRL Space. It is equipped with a hyperspectral camera that can take detailed images of the surface from Earth orbit. These images will contribute, for example, to more accurate mapping of the state of the environment.

VZLU Aerospace is a national centre for aerospace research, development and testing. Its mission is to provide scientific research support to industry and deliver innovative solutions.