PIAST

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PIAST
Rendering of PIAST constellation
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorPolish Space Agency
COSPAR ID2025-276
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeSatellite
ManufacturerCreotech
Start of mission
Launch date28 November 2025, 10:44:00 (2025-11-28UTC10:44Z) UTC
RocketFalcon 9 Transporter-15
Launch siteVandenberg SCL-4E
ContractorSpaceX

The PIAST (Polish ImAging SaTelites) constellation is a group of three (PIAST-S1, PIAST-S2, PIAST-M) 6U nanosatellites developed by the Polish Ministry of National Defence and Polish Space Agency for Earth observation purposes that was launched on November 28, 2025 to low Earth orbit.

Overview

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The earth observation satellites are designed to be used to help targeting for JASSM-ER missiles or ATACMS missiles,[1] to help coordinate forces on the ground, and to allow for better mission management.[2] The constellation is part of the Szafir program, an effort by the Polish government to increase the connectivity and cooperation between scientific institutions and private firms.[3] The satellite program is part of an effort by the Polish government to subsidize the domestic space industry to make it easier for future satellite development.[1]

The PIAST satellites are also testing new laser communication devices, in order to develop a military communications system that can't be jammed.[4] In place of traditional radio communication devices, the satellites communicate between each other with laser emitting diodes and receivers.[4] The military expects that once the communication devices are proven to work, that they will begin adopting them both for military applications, but also civilian ones such as at data centers.[4]

The constellation is named after the Piast dynasty, the first royal family of Poland.[5] The spacecraft's body was constructed by Creotech on the basis of their HyperSat platform.[3] Additionally, Creotech is using the same ion thrusters they developed for the EagleEye for the PIAST constellation.[6] Scanway was responsible for the construction of two of the three high-resolution Earth Observation telescopes.[7] Each satellite is designed to have a five-meter resolution.[5]

History

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In October 2021 it was announced private space firms were hired to form a consortium led by the Jaroslaw Dabrowski Military University of Technology and consisting of Creotech instruments, PAN Centre for Space Research, Scanway Space, the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation, PCO S.A. (a company owned by the Polish Armaments Group).[3][8] The project cost zł70 million, 40% of which was allocated to Creotech for the manufacturing.[6] When the project was announced it was reported it would take 48 months to develop, and would launch sometime in 2024.[3]

In April 2023 it was announced by Creotech that PIAST had completed the Preliminary Design Review and that manufacturing and assembly of the satellites had begun and that launch was now expected to take place in 2025.[9] In June 2024 it was announced Terma A/S was hired to deploy a full Mission Control Center for the satellites' operations.[10] Shortly after Fleischer Consulting announced they had been hired to deliver Software and Hardware for the Mission Control.[11]

PIAST was launched on board the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-15 on November 28, 2025 alongside the announcement of a new Polish military satellite MikroSAR which will be developed in consortium with a Finnish company ICEYE.[12][13][14]

Two-way communication between the Earth and the constellation was established on November 30 and they returned their first image of Earth on December 6, 2025.[14][15]

Impact

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The satellites where praised by the Polish Military with defense minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stating that their launch made Poland “the first [country] in Central and Eastern Europe with a comprehensive military satellite reconnaissance system.”[14] He also stated that PIAST will enable the design and launch of further Polish spy-satellites.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Polish constellation of observation microsatellites for security and defense purposes – key agreement signed". lukasiewicz. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  2. ^ "PIAST and MILGEOMED projects at Military University of Technology". scienceinpoland. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "The First Commercial Order For Creotech's HyperSat Smallsat Platform Is Received". satnews. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Poland to launch satellites for testing laser communication". Polskie Radio. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  5. ^ a b Gizmajer, Marek (26 September 2024). "Cosmic progress as Poland rockets into space age". PolandWeekly. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b Adamowski, Jarosław. "Polish Armed Forces enlist industry consortium for imaging nanosatellites". SpaceNews. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  7. ^ "TIME HORIZON". scanway. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  8. ^ "PIAST, a nanosatellite constellation for optoelectronic image recognition". creotech.pl. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Creotech Instruments reaches another milestone in PIAST project". creotech. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Terma Signs Contract with Polish Military University of Technology to Deliver Comprehensive Ground Segment Suite". Terma A/S. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Software and Hardware Delivery for Satellite Mission Control". fleischer. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  12. ^ Miller, Tymon. "Rocket with first Polish military satellites blasts off into orbit". TVP World. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Poland's PIAST satellites establish two-way contact after Falcon 9 launch". Polish Radio. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d Kaleta, Stanisław. "Poland's new military satellites capture 'historic' first image". TVP World. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  15. ^ Jones, Ewan. "Poland's first military satellites establish two-way contact with Earth". TVP World. Retrieved 21 December 2025.