The service is operational across Europe, including CEE and Ukraine
SOFIA / WARSAW, March 5, 2026 – Bulgaria Sat, operator of Bulgaria's first geostationary communications satellite, BulgariaSat-1, develops a strategic partnership with Polish operator ComStellation, positioning BulgariaSat-1 as operational infrastructure for secure satellite communications (secure SATCOM) in Poland and across Central and Eastern Europe, validating a new regional model for sovereign satellite connectivity.
The strategic partnership agreement, signed in April 2025, enables the provision of secure satellite connectivity for civil-military (dual-use) applications in Poland and the Baltic States via dedicated capacity on the Bulgarian geostationary satellite BulgariaSat-1 (at 1.9°E).
The service is already operational across Europe, including Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine.
"Our joint work demonstrates that Bulgaria can act as an active provider of secure satellite communications at the European level. With BulgariaSat-1, we are contributing to the strategic positioning of the region within Europe's security architecture."
Independent Technical Validation
The partnership was followed by a series of independent technical validation tests conducted by Poland's National Institute of Telecommunications (IŁ–PIB), under the observation of representatives from the Polish Space Agency (POLSA). The tests confirmed full territorial coverage of Poland, high resilience to interference, and stable link performance, including under adverse weather conditions.
Measured link parameters exceeded initial engineering assumptions, confirming strong carrier-to-noise (C/N) and energy-per-bit-to-noise-density (Eb/No) margins. Stable VoIP and video conferencing sessions were maintained, alongside high data throughput per transponder. The results validated the use of compact 60 cm portable terminals with high operational robustness - a critical capability for government institutions, security services, and critical infrastructure operators.
"2025 was a year of execution and validated performance. The tests in Poland confirmed the readiness and resilience of the BulgariaSat-1 infrastructure for governmental and mission-critical applications. This is not a conceptual framework — it is a functioning, independently validated capability within an EU Member State. It demonstrates that the region has the capacity to develop sovereign secure communications solutions."
Zayakov added that the development of such cross-border partnerships lays the foundation for sustainable revenue streams, technology transfer, and the strengthening of regional secure communications capacity - a sector of growing importance for national and European security.
Regional Cooperation Model
The partnership between Bulgaria Sat and ComStellation introduces a regional cooperation model aligned with the EU GovSatCom framework and structured around a public-private partnership logic. The model enables national-level service control, rapid operational deployment, and access to secure satellite infrastructure without the decade-long timelines typically required to build fully sovereign national systems from scratch.
Crisis Response Capability
In the context of increasing risks to critical infrastructure and cybersecurity, Bulgaria Sat, together with ComStellation, also offered immediate satellite capacity support in April 2025 in response to a major cyber incident affecting partners in Spain and Portugal. The initiative underscored the operational value of independent geostationary (GEO) infrastructure during crisis scenarios.
"Independent GEO infrastructure is no longer an abstract strategic concept. When terrestrial networks are disrupted or under pressure, satellite connectivity remains operational. That is the tangible value of investing in resilient satellite capability."
About Bulgaria Sat
Bulgaria Sat is a private company and operator of BulgariaSat-1, Bulgaria's first geostationary communications satellite, launched in 2017. The company provides secure satellite communications and end-to-end solutions, including satellite capacity integration, ground infrastructure, and operational management for defense, security, critical infrastructure, and crisis management applications.
BulgariaSat-1 provides coverage across Southeast Europe, the Black Sea region, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, supporting a broad portfolio of satellite services.