The PIAST project consortium, led by the Military University of Technology and working in cooperation with Creotech Instruments S.A., has published new images captured by satellites from the constellation. The material includes imaging data acquired in both daytime and nighttime modes. The published images confirm the operational readiness of the Polish PIAST satellite constellation, developed on the basis of domestic know-how and the capabilities of Poland’s space sector.
PIAST is part of a programme aimed at developing national capabilities in Earth observation and building sovereign satellite systems. Its objective is to create a comprehensive satellite data acquisition system based on Polish technologies and strengthening the country’s strategic capabilities. It is also an example of effective cooperation between Polish industry and science.
The published images confirm the full operational capability of the PIAST constellation satellites and the effectiveness of the Earth imaging system under operational conditions. Data acquired in both daytime and nighttime modes demonstrate the correct operation of the complete processing chain up to L1A level. The images were taken using telescopes developed by the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Scanway S.A., mounted on HyperSat satellite platforms designed and manufactured in Poland by Creotech Instruments S.A. The results obtained confirm the repeatability and stability of the imaging process.
The images were captured between February and May 2026 in both daytime and nighttime modes. The locations include Warsaw, Chornobyl, Madrid, Muscat in Oman and Akulivik in Canada.
Muscat in Oman was captured under two different acquisition conditions by PIAST-M. The left-hand section shows a nighttime scene with a close-up of Al Sahwa Public Park, where individual light sources, including park lamps, are clearly visible. The right-hand section presents a daytime acquisition of the same general area, in which the airport stands out as one of the most distinctive elements of infrastructure.
The Chornobyl acquisitions were obtained using two different telescopes: PIAST-M, supplied by the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and PIAST-S2, supplied by Scanway S.A. Both images show the area of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, making it possible to compare the same infrastructure facility in different imaging configurations.
The image of Madrid, taken around midday by PIAST-M, shows a stadium with clearly visible structural details and elements of urban infrastructure, demonstrating good spatial resolution in dense urban development.
Akulivik, an Inuit settlement in northern Quebec, was captured under subpolar conditions, with the local airport visible as a key element of the settlement’s infrastructure. The scene is technically interesting because snow-covered surfaces reflect a large amount of light and often have limited natural texture. This can pose a challenge both for image processing and for the instrument itself, particularly in terms of preserving contrast, avoiding saturation and maintaining the visibility of details in bright, uniform areas.
The image of Warsaw, taken by the PIAST-S2 satellite, shows the winter capital with the area of Chopin Airport visible, including cleared runways as well as elements of airport and urban infrastructure.
The entire image processing workflow was carried out using Payload Processors, calibration and validation tools, and the Payload Data Ground Segment developed by the Creotech Instruments S.A. team. The scope of work also included the definition and implementation of the data processing chain, as well as calibration processes up to processing level 1A and validation, carried out by the Creotech team. This made it possible to generate products intended for operational applications. The resolution of the images was reduced fourfold.
The project is being carried out by the Military University of Technology, which acts as the consortium leader, in cooperation with Creotech Instruments S.A., the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation, Scanway S.A. and PCO S.A.
Creotech Instruments S.A. serves as a key industrial partner in the PIAST project. The company is responsible for building, delivering and integrating three satellite platforms based on its proprietary HyperSat technology, as well as for the integration and launch of the satellites.
The project is co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development under the SZAFIR programme, initiated by the Ministry of National Defence.
Source: ceo.com.pl
