On January 14, Bulgarian startup Endurosat and Czech ZAITRA launched their nanosatellites into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, the Recursive reports.
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EnduroSat’s nanosatellite was launched at 21:09 EET time as part of the Balkan-1 mission into low-Earth orbit. Its aim is to monitor the environment and manage natural resources through satellite data and services.
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ZAITRA’s satellites, as well as TROLL from Czech’s TRL Space, were also launched into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket during the Transporter-12 mission. Its main goal is to better detect illegal landfills, construction sites, deforestation, pollution of watercourses, and also gain a tool for precise monitoring of vegetation.
About EnduroSat
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Bulgarian EnduroSat was founded in 2015 by Raycho Raychev and Stanimir Gantchev. The company designs and engineers spacecraft for business applications and space exploration missions. One of the fastest-growing Bulgarian nanosatellite manufacturers globally and a key player in Bulgaria’s space industry.
“We started in a 25-square-metre attic in Sofia, and back then, everyone laughed at us. In the past ten years, EnduroSat has become one of the leaders in the sector. We serve over 350 clients worldwide, have delivered more than 100 satellites to customers, and launched over 60 into orbit,” shared Raycho Raychev, CEO and founder of EnduroSat.
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Balkan-1 is EnduroSat’s mission for high-resolution multispectral imaging in Earth observation. It delivers 1.5-meter resolution images for the European Commission’s Copernicus program, which monitors the environment and manages natural resources. Copernicus provides data on climate change, land use, agriculture, forestry, marine environments, and disaster management.
Having secured $10 million in its Series A round in 2023, EnduroSat plans to build a constellation of 120 Balkan satellites to expand Earth observation capabilities. Raychev, who founded Bulgaria's “Space Challenges” education program, shared this vision.
About ZAITRA and TRL Space
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TROLL, a Czech satellite developed by TRL Space, features a hyperspectral camera and advanced artificial intelligence software created by its sister startup, ZAITRA. This technology enables detailed analysis of materials, surfaces, and phenomena, supporting applications such as land use, vegetation monitoring, mineral composition studies, atmospheric analysis, and space exploration.
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ZAITRA, another Czech-based space tech startup, specializes in satellite autonomy solutions for institutional and private space industry clients. The company uses AI-powered filtering to help satellite operators deliver more accurate and relevant data.
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In October 2024, ZAITRA raised €1.7M in a pre-seed round to enhance satellite autonomy. Notably, ZAITRA was also among the first to successfully deploy AI in operational nanosatellites.
Previously, AIN informed that Finnish Kuva Space and ICEYE launched their satellites into orbit also aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 spacecraft.
