The Brno Space Cluster, an association consisting of 22 Brno-based aerospace companies, is currently working on the Drak (“Dragon”) project, which aims to build and launch a satellite carrying a high-resolution camera, whose data are intended to serve the defence and reconstruction of Ukraine, representatives of the companies told reporters yesterday.
The satellite is expected to enter orbit in 2026, they said, and remain in space for at least five years.
“The data from the satellite can be used for defence purposes if the war is still going on, but also for the reconstruction of the country after the war,” said Petr Kapoun, chair of the Brno Space Cluster.
The satellite is being built with the support of the City of Brno, the Brno Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Czech Ministry of Transport, which signed a memorandum with the Ukrainian state space agency. Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) said he appreciated that the Drak project was initiated directly by companies, and not organised by the state.
The Brno Space Cluster initiative was also welcomed by Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych. “The war is developing and only ammunition and technology are not enough,” he told reporters. “Modern combat needs the latest technology. This satellite will give Ukraine a new technological tool to defend its territorial integrity, civilian population and infrastructure.”
The very high-resolution satellite images from the Drak satellite will allow the detection, for example, of the exact movement of military equipment, and thus enable Ukraine to better prepare for any potential danger. “This initiative once again confirms the strategic dimension of relations between Ukraine and the Czech Republic. I am very grateful for that,” added Zvarych.
State and private institutions are involved in financing the project, and the organisers yesterday launched a crowdfunding campaign in which anyone can participate. On the Drak Mission website, members of the public can contribute to funding the creation of the satellite, the camera and its placement on the rocket. The target amount of the campaign is CZK 150 million.
“The total cost of the mission will be in the hundreds of millions of crowns, and will definitely not be covered only by the money raised through crowdfunding. The aim is to enable people to participate in the mission; whatever amount is raised, the Drak mission will take off,” Kapoun added.
The first generation of the high-resolution camera is now complete, but a second generation will be built for the Drak mission based on existing technology. “At the moment, we want to materialise the vision into the first prototypes, which we will start building soon,” Kapoun added.
The Brno Space Cluster was established in 2021 and currently has 22 members, with member companies reporting a turnover of more than CZK 350 million last year.
“With its industrial base, Brno is an ideal place for such a project to be created,” said the Mayor of Brno, Markéta Vaňková, who is a patron of the project. “Companies united under the banner of Brno Space Cluster have already completed many large international projects, with which they are increasing the competence of the entire Czech Republic in the European space industry in the long term. We also want to show that we still stand by Ukraine, which has been resisting Russian aggression for more than two years.”
