Ten companies and institutions have joined the Polish Partnership for Earth Observation, as outlined in the agreement signed on October 24. Together, they will develop new imaging technologies for our planet and formulate a national space strategy.
The partnership involves three scientific and educational institutions: the Space Technology Centre AGH, the Space Research Centre PAN, and the Centre for Scientific Geospatial Analyses and Satellite Computations. Seven companies have also joined the collaboration: CloudFerro, Creotech Instruments, KP Labs, ITTI, Blue Dot Solutions, GISPartner, and Eycore.
The consortium aims to establish a common stance within the framework of the Polish Space Strategy and to strengthen national competencies in Earth observation. Participating companies and institutions will also seek to increase funding for this sector and foster closer collaboration between the space industry and Polish universities and research centers.
Earth observation is extremely important at both the national and global levels, impacting strategic sectors such as crisis management, climate monitoring, agriculture, and defense. Satellite observations provide real-time insights into conditions on the Earth’s surface, allowing for the creation of maps, weather forecasting, analysis of the Earth’s structure, and assessment of crop and ecosystem conditions.
Maciej Krzyżanowski, President of CloudFerro, noted that satellite Earth observation is the fastest-growing branch of the space industry in Poland since joining the European Space Agency (ESA) 12 years ago. It was emphasized that the data obtained provide invaluable insights for scientists and policymakers and are essential for crisis management, meteorology, climate research, agriculture, and defense. The importance of developing domestic satellite observation capabilities over reliance on foreign solutions was also highlighted.
“The area of Earth observation deserves special attention from both businesses and public administration,” Krzyżanowski stated, indicating that it has become a Polish specialization within the space sector. The achievements of domestic companies position Poland as a key player in current satellite operations commissioned by the European Commission.
It was reminded that Polish companies produce their own satellites, possess the skills to operate them, and can acquire and process data from orbiters. Polish entities play a crucial role in the European Earth observation program Copernicus and manage the world’s largest repository of satellite observation data.
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