Poland joins the orbital players' club. Next to the "eyes" in space will be a Raven that flies and thinks.

• As announced, the first Polish military reconnaissance satellites will be launched into orbit this November. This represents a significant leap forward in Poland's security.
• They were purchased from the Polish-Finnish company ICEYE. They are to be launched into orbit from the American spaceport on the Canaveral Peninsula.
• Polish companies are developing a more ambitious project. This will be the first Polish spacecraft with a wide range of capabilities. It will launch in 2029.

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated the crucial importance of rapid and precise information about troop movements, critical infrastructure, and potential threats. For us Poles, located on NATO's eastern flank, this lesson is both painful and crucial. Until now, we lacked the cosmic eyes that allow us to recognize danger before it befalls us.

That's why the information shared by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in an interview with Konrad Piasecki on TVN24 is groundbreaking. The first Polish military reconnaissance satellites will be launched into orbit in November . This isn't just a new capability; it's a civilizational leap forward in Poland's security.

The Minister of National Defense emphasized that the new devices will enable highly accurate imaging, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. And that's what makes the difference.

"Regardless of the time—day or night—and regardless of cloud cover, we will be able to image the airspace with very high accuracy. This has proven effective in Ukraine, and it will prove effective in Poland," says the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense.

The satellites were purchased as part of the MikroSAR program – the construction of a national satellite Earth observation system for the Polish Army – from the Polish-Finnish company ICEYE . "Deputy Minister of Defense Cezary Tomczyk traveled to Finland to collect the equipment, which will then be transported to the United States. They will be launched into orbit from the Canaveral Peninsula in Florida," the minister announced.

Poland has entered another stage in achieving space competences

ICEYE satellites are equipped with SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology – a synthetic aperture radar that emits microwaves that pass through clouds and "bounce" off objects on the ground, creating an extremely precise image of the terrain. This is a kind of cosmic X-ray that allows for the acquisition of highly detailed radar images of the Earth. Thanks to this, Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized, we will be able to image space with extreme accuracy, regardless of cloud cover, which is the biggest enemy of satellite reconnaissance.

The first of three satellites is scheduled to enter orbit within the next few days, with the remaining satellites scheduled for launch in 2026. The satellites will be placed in what's known as a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). This is a special type of polar orbit in which the satellite always passes over a given point on Earth at the same local time of day . This is important because it will allow the Polish Armed Forces to perform very frequent revisits, meaning the satellite will return to the same area, which is crucial for near-real-time situational awareness and monitoring.

And that's not all. Poland has just entered another important stage in achieving space competence. It has launched a project that, not long ago, might have seemed like a joke from science fiction fan stories. But that's not fiction. A new phase of work has begun on the first Polish vehicle for transporting and servicing satellites in orbit – RAVEN .

– I am convinced that in the next steps we will be able to effectively compete with the largest European players, providing technologies that actually strengthen the security and sovereignty of European infrastructure in orbit – said Anna Nikodym-Bilska from PIAP Space.

" RAVEN is a groundbreaking project for the Polish space sector . It's the first integrated step towards autonomous logistics operations and satellite protection in orbit. It's also a model example of broad collaboration between institutions and companies. It demonstrates that Polish entities can independently and collaboratively create advanced, independent space technologies," says Mateusz Krawczak, project manager at PIAP Space.

PIAP will be able to compete effectively with the largest European players

The international consortium led by PIAP, which is working on the Polish space transport vehicle RAVEN (Rendez-Vous and Proximity Vehicle for Enabling Multi-Mission) – an ISTV (In-Space Transportation Vehicle), i.e., orbital robots with a mission – has announced that the project is entering phase B1, which includes a detailed definition of the demonstration mission and the development of a preliminary design for the vehicle.

The RAVEN DEMO I demonstration mission is scheduled for 2029. Its goal will be to validate key technologies, such as orbital reversal capability, phasing maneuvers, close-in operations, and controlled deorbiting. Successful completion of these missions is expected to pave the way for commercial use of the vehicle.

"This is a huge achievement for PIAP Space and a clear direction for the company's development. Since ESA has recognized us in this area, I hope that in the next steps we will be able to effectively compete with the largest European players, providing technologies that truly strengthen the security and sovereignty of European infrastructure in orbit," Anna Nikodym-Bilska, Business Development Director at PIAP Space, told RMF24 radio.

The project also includes: Paweł Paśko - RAVEN program manager and technical leader, Mateusz Krawczak - project manager, Katarzyna Okulska-Gawlik - project management expert, Rafał Baczewski - systems engineer and Przemysław Brzęczkowski - systems engineering expert.

The consortium working on the RAVEN program includes leading Polish space companies and research institutes. In addition to PIAP Space, Creotech Instruments is responsible for the spacecraft's platform. The Łukasiewicz Institute of Aviation provided the propulsion system, the Military University of Technology will develop the ground segment and communications. AROBS Polska will develop the on-board computer, and GMV Polska will develop the navigation and control system (GNC).

This group also includes Space Avengers, a Polish space company specializing in orbital solutions, including satellite servicing systems and responsible for inter-satellite communications, and the Czech company Zaitra, whose responsibilities include monitoring the ship's health.

The technology company PIAP Space also implements projects for the European Space Agency and the European Commission that focus on technologies supporting servicing, assembly and logistics in space.

The project is also being implemented in cooperation with the European Space Agency, the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), the Ministry of Development and Technology, and the Ministry of National Defense. Its goal is not only to develop innovative space technologies but also to strengthen the technological sovereignty of Poland and Europe in the transport and servicing of satellites.

Space mechanic, garbage collector, and security guard all in one

The first demonstration mission, RAVEN DEMO I, is scheduled for 2029. This mission will test key technologies necessary for in-orbit operations, including orbit changes, phasing maneuvers, close-in operations, and controlled deorbiting. It will also confirm the system's ability to inspect and reconnaissance satellites for security purposes.

What exactly will our "space Raven," as the name RAVEN translates, do? Phasing maneuvers and deorbiting aren't always visual enough for everyone. This is a program to build the first Polish multi-purpose spacecraft. However, it won't be a typical satellite, passively orbiting, taking photos, but an active orbital player, reacting to threats and capable of taking specific action. A space mechanic, garbage collector, and security guard all in one.

However, this is also a journalistic oversimplification. In reality, Kruk is no ordinary satellite. It not only flies, but also thinks. This intelligent system will be able to make decisions based on prior analysis of its surroundings and perform tasks autonomously. In a world where orbit is becoming increasingly crowded and dangerous, such a vehicle fills the gap of uncontrollable orbital chaos.

It's a geostrategic tool that can protect infrastructure, support ESA missions, and even operate commercially. Satellite servicing and traffic management are the business of the future.

So what tasks will RAVEN perform? One of them is satellite servicing. The ship will approach damaged equipment worth billions and revive it. It will also hunt for space debris—inactive satellites, rocket fragments, structural components, and even small parts torn off by collisions or explosions. There are over 130 million pieces of debris in orbit , and any one of them could pose a threat to operational satellites, space stations, or manned missions.

The implementation of the project is of strategic importance for strengthening Poland's position

Kruk, using robotic arms or magnetic systems, will capture and transport these objects to a safe location, such as a lower orbit, a special parking area, a deportation vehicle that collects garbage, and in the future, to orbital recycling stations where the garbage will be processed into new components. Or it will deorbit them, meaning it will relocate the hazardous objects to a different orbit so that they reenter Earth's atmosphere and burn up without causing any danger.

Space clearing will reduce the risk of collisions and the so-called Kessler effect (a chain reaction of collisions), thus increasing the safety of communications satellites, GPS, observation satellites, and manned missions orbiting Earth . All of this work will be possible thanks to proximity maneuvers, which allow the spacecraft to approach other vehicles and operate with surgical precision, like a drone in the hands of an astronaut.

But Kruk is more than just a "space garbage collector." It's a guardian of orbital order that could change the way humanity manages the space around Earth. RAVEN will become the foundation for the development of RPO (Rendezvous and Proximity Operations) technology, i.e., orbital transport and satellite inspection. This will increase the independence and security of European space resources.

The project's implementation is of strategic importance for strengthening Poland's position in the European space sector. But it's not just that. The Polish Raven isn't just a robot that will repair satellites or drop space debris from orbit into the fiery abyss of the atmosphere. Satellite inspections aren't just routine checks on the status of our own orbiting equipment. They also offer the opportunity to get closer to foreign objects that have been orbiting over Polish territory for too long and too persistently.

Thanks to such maneuvers, it is possible to look over the enemy's shoulder - take photos, analyze the structure, and maybe even discover the true purpose of the satellite that officially observes the weather.

Not Just a Space Cleaner, But Also an Orbital Detective

Kruk can intercept debris that threatens other missions, but if necessary, it can also remove hostile satellites from orbit: spy, navigation, and communications, restoring order over Poland, for example. The ability to inspect, intercept, and deorbit orbital objects is currently not only a civilian function but also a defensive tool .

- RAVEN is part of our desire to build sovereign capabilities in the space domain - assures Brigadier General Marek Sokołowski, head of the Operational Planning Directorate.

It's no surprise, then, that the Ministry of National Defense has become involved in the project. In a world where Russia and China are developing their own technologies that threaten to deflect or even destroy satellites, and the United States has openly stated its fear of such actions, having our own orbital guardian is becoming not only an ambition but a necessity.

Therefore, RAVEN is not only a technological project, but also an investment in Poland's security in a new operational dimension.

Space is becoming another area of ​​competition between states, and we must be present there not only as observers, but as active participants, says Colonel Tomasz Nowak from the Ministry of National Defence's Department of Innovation.

It's worth noting that the September 2025 revision of the National Reconstruction Plan (KPO) envisages allocating over PLN 2 billion to the development of Poland's satellite infrastructure , including the purchase of six modern telecommunications satellites and the construction of a ground station and data center. This also presents a significant opportunity for Polish companies in the spacetech and defense sectors.