Send to Kindle
A Bulgarian-made satellite, Balkan-1, has successfully been launched into space, marking a significant achievement for the country’s space industry. The satellite, developed by EnduroSat, was carried into orbit aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara, California. The launch was streamed live at the Planetarium of the Nikola Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna, Bulgaria.
Balkan-1 is designed to contribute to the European Union's Copernicus program, which focuses on gathering data of national and regional importance. Lyubomir Toshev, a software architect at Endurosat, explained that the satellite will monitor marine environments, track ships, assist in disaster management, map land areas, and monitor coastal regions and strategic infrastructure. The satellite’s primary goal is to enhance security through detailed data collection.
Equipped with a multispectral sensor, Balkan-1 can monitor both land and water bodies in several spectral bands. This capability allows it to analyze the content of chemicals and elements in the environment, assess water and soil quality, and track pollutants such as microplastics. Toshev noted that this is the first entirely Bulgarian satellite with a scientific and security-oriented mission, distinguishing it from other commercial satellites previously launched by Endurosat.
Weighing 32 kilograms, Balkan-1 orbits the Earth at an altitude of 500 kilometers. Its sensor offers a resolution where each pixel corresponds to a 1.5-meter section of the Earth's surface. The satellite has a planned lifespan of five years, after which it will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up, avoiding the creation of space debris. Balkan-1 is part of the EU's Copernicus program, which aims to monitor and study the Earth’s various characteristics. The satellite was selected after a competitive process, with all systems being manufactured in Bulgaria, except for the multispectral sensor.
What sets Balkan-1 apart is its advanced data-processing capabilities. It employs artificial intelligence to process information, ensuring that valuable insights are delivered to Earth efficiently. Endurosat has developed the satellite with the necessary technology to meet its mission’s goals for the next five years.
This launch was one of several missions carried out by Endurosat using Falcon 9 rockets, which are reused for multiple launches. Along with Balkan-1, 135 other satellites were deployed into orbit as part of this mission.
To celebrate the launch, an exhibition at the VVMU planetarium in Varna showcases data collected by other Endurosat satellites, including images from Antarctica, the Sahara, and the Bahamas. Looking ahead, EnduroSat plans to establish a constellation of 120 Balkan satellites, which will offer comprehensive Earth surveillance capabilities.
Source: Nova TV
Property values in Sofia have surged by approximately €500 per square metre over the past year, according to data from one of Bulgaria’s largest real estate agencies. Across the country’s main cities, housing costs climbed by 20% in the final quarter of 2
Former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov (2002–2012) expressed strong support for the newly elected leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Krum Zarkov, praising his intelligence, education, and integrity
The United Kingdom has decided to extend the validity of the general license covering Lukoil’s subsidiaries operating in Bulgaria, the Ministry of Energy announced.
The three men who were discovered dead at the Petrohan lodge had gone without food for several days before their deaths, consuming only water or tea.
As of February 6, 2026, Bulgaria continues to make steady progress in withdrawing the national currency, the leva, from circulation.
According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Wednesday, February 11, will bring varied weather conditions across the country.
According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Wednesday, February 11, will bring varied weather conditions across the country.
In the Bulgarian city of Blagoevgrad, citizens marked an unusual milestone by celebrating the “sixth month” of a large pothole in the city with cake, balloons, and festive decorations
Construction has officially started on the expansion of Sofia’s third metro line in the area of the G. S. Rakovski Military Academy park.
Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2025 paints a bleak picture, showing that corruption remains entrenched worldwide and that attempts to reduce it have largely failed. The latest findings underline that global levels of corrupt
In 2025, Bulgarian children faced a sharp rise in online harassment and sexual exploitation, according to data released by the National Center for Safer Internet ahead of International Safer Internet Day
Winter conditions are set to reassert themselves across Bulgaria on Tuesday, February 10, with colder air continuing to spread over the country, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
Novinite 2025 in Review: A Year That Tested Bulgaria and the World
A Disgraceful Betrayal: Bulgaria's Shameful Entry into Trump's Board of Peace
