The European Space Agency, on behalf of the Polish Government, has awarded a €52 million contract to Creotech Instruments for the development and launch of a three-satellite Earth observation constellation.
In October 2023, Poland’s Ministry of Development and Technology signed an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to oversee the development of the country’s CAMILA (Country Awareness Mission in Land Analysis) satellite constellation. According to an early 2024 update from the Polish Space Agency, a total of €85 million was allocated for the construction of the constellation. While data gathered by CAMILA will support a range of applications, including agriculture, land management, and emergency response, the project is also intended to strengthen Poland’s satellite manufacturing capability.
In June 2024, ESA published a call for proposals for companies interested in executing the development of the CAMILA constellation, with the condition that the bulk of the work be conducted within Polish borders. On 15 April, the agency awarded the contract to Polish satellite manufacturer Creotech Instruments. Of the total amount awarded, €26 million will go directly to Creotech, with the remainder allocated to project subcontractors, including CloudFerro, Eycore, GMV Innovating Solutions, KP Labs, and Scanway.
The contract, signed during the 3rd ESA Security Conference in Warsaw, includes the development of three satellites: a radar satellite, a high-resolution optical satellite, and a lower-resolution optical satellite, along with the necessary ground infrastructure and launch services. The contract also includes provisions for a fourth CAMILA satellite and in-orbit servicing, which, according to Creotech, could “increase the final contract value.” These increases will likely be capped at the originally allocated €85 million.
The initial three-satellite CAMILA constellation is expected to launch in 2027.
