Plovdiv builds Bulgaria's first regional space center for disaster prevention

04.08.2026 | Technologies

The Plovdiv Regional Administration and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are joining forces to create an innovative space center that will use satellite data and thermal technologies for early fire detection and crisis management.

Снимка от NASA, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

A revolution in crisis management: Plovdiv bets on space

The Regional Governor of Plovdiv, Georgi Yanev, and the President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Corresponding Member Evelina Slavcheva, signed a memorandum for strategic cooperation. The goal is to build Bulgaria's first regional space center for disaster and accident prevention.

"This is proof that when there is continuity and a shared vision, significant projects with the potential to change risk management can be realized," commented Georgi Yanev.

Main functions and technologies of the center

The center will serve as a technological hub for real-time data processing, providing:

A key partner in the project is the European company Constellr, which is developing a high-precision thermal satellite system. It allows for the detection of thermal anomalies that remain invisible to standard optical satellites.

The initiative, presented for the first time at "Hemus 2026", establishes Plovdiv as a leader in the implementation of innovation and national security.