Poland Prepares Second Military Satellite Launch

MikroSAR Mission - Second Satellite Launch Date
In May 2021, Poland's Ministry of National Defence signed a €202m contract with ICEYE for their MikroSAR program, which will provide the Polish Armed Forces with independent surveillance capabilities using advanced radar satellite technology.

The second satellite's launch is scheduled for Monday at 12:20 PM from Vandenberg Space Force Base, while the first MikroSAR satellite has been operational since December 2020, capturing imagery for military purposes.

Cezary Tomczyk (Poland's Deputy Minister of Defence) indicates that the launch of this second satellite will represent another key step in the advancement of Poland's military intelligence and that the new satellite will provide better situational awareness and faster decision-making capabilities than previously possible; it will also be operational regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

New Technology and the Importance of the MikroSAR Project
ICEYE is the world's largest operator of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, which can create images at night and under heavy clouds, making it superior to conventional optical systems for creating images.

Rafał Modrzewski (CEO & Co-Founder of ICEYE) stated after the announcement of the MikroSAR contract that space technology is becoming increasingly critical in modern warfare, while advanced radar technologies from innovative companies like ICEYE will provide long-term value to Poland.

As noted by Modrzewski, these advanced radar satellites will support both military and civilian uses, including in agriculture and emergency response.