TIMELINE OF THE SATELLITE'S DEVELOPMENT

2030
SATELLITE READY TO LAUNCH
March 2026
SIGNATURE OF CONTRACT - ESA, VZLU AEROSPACE
Representatives of the European Space Agency (ESA) and VZLU AEROSPACE have officially signed a contract for the development of the AMBIC satellite. The signing took place in the presence of delegates from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. For more details, please see here.
2024-2025
MODIFICATION OF THE PLAN
The plan was updated to reflect ESA requirements.
October 2024
AMBIC AT THE IAC CONFERENCE IN MILAN

The AMBIC project was presented at the IAC2024 conference.

September 2023
AMBIC WAS CHOSEN AS THE AMBITIOUS CZECH MISSION

The Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic announced that AMBIC will be the Czech ambitious mission. The selection  was determined by the committee that manages the Framework Project for the implementation of support from the European Space Agency (ESA) for space activities in the Czech Republic.

AMBIC is moving on to the next phase and should be launched into space in 2028.

"I see the committee's decision as a recognition of the long-term and challenging work of VZLU AEROSPACE in the area of complex satellite technology. We fully accept responsibility and are committed to the successful completion of the projects AMBIC and QUVIK. Such large-scale projects based on broad cooperation between companies and university institutions have not yet been undertaken in the Czech Republic. We are honored to lead these projects," says Josef Kašpar, CEO of VZLU AEROSPACE. "I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the preparation of the AMBIC and QUVIK projects. These projects represent an opportunity for the entire Czech Republic to establish itself in a technically demanding field that is currently growing rapidly and full of commercial potential."

June 2023
PROJECT AMBIC OFFICIALLY PRESENTED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE

The AMBIC (Ambitious Czech Satellite) mission is designed to deliver valuable space data to the Czech state users. This satellite will capture both black-and-white and color images with a ground sample distance (GSD) of 1.2 meters, meaning each image pixel represents an area of 1.2 x 1.2 m. It will be able to transmit up to 400 photos per day. The mission consists not only of the satellite itself but also of a comprehensive ground segment. This includes a ground station serving as a "communication bridge" between Earth and the satellite, a "control center" to manage satellite operations, and a dedicated facility for processing and transforming the raw satellite data into final, user-ready outputs.

"To have the ability to observe and communicate independently is a strategic advantage. The satellite"s application is going to be broad, from emergencies to environment, transport, and safety,"  said Josef Kašpar, CEO of VZLU AEROSPACE.

January 2023
INDUSTRIAL DAYS OF THE CZECH MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT

The presentation of the goals of the AMBIC project was part of an information and industry day at the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, where ambitious space activities were presented. The event's purpose was, among other things, to identify opportunities for involvement in projects.