By Euronews with AP

Published on 18/08/2024 - 20:39 GMT+2

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Poland's space industry marks historical day.

Polish space science and technology reached a historical moment with the successful launch of the EagleEye satellite into Earth's orbit. Facilitated by SpaceX, the mission took place from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

The EagleEye project, which began in April 2020, represents a collaborative effort between a consortium of industrial and scientific organisations.

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Creotech Instruments S.A. leads the consortium, with contributions from Scanway Sp. z o.o. and the Space Research Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences, which serves as the scientific partner.

The satellite is set to deliver high-resolution images of the Earth, providing data for research and monitoring purposes.

The mission is expected to last at least one year, whist its control center for EagleEye is situated at Creotech Instruments' headquarters in Warsaw. The satellite is to orbit the Earth at a low altitude, gradually descending from an initial height of approximately 500 kilometers to around 350 kilometers.

Barci?ski emphasised that this success was not guaranteed and marked an important milestone in the mission's progress.

EagleEye was designed entirely in Poland from the ground up. While acknowledging that not all components could be made locally, for example Poland does not yet manufacture microprocessors, Dr. Barci?ski stressed that the satellite is equipped with high range technology.