WARSAW, Poland - Bulgaria's government has approved a draft memorandum of understanding with local satellite manufacturer EnduroSat to develop a new space and defense innovation hub near Sofia, at Dobroslavtsi Air Base. Because nothing says 'innovation hub' like an old air base, apparently.

The move comes as Bulgaria, a country without a national space agency, strives to become a European space hub independent of the European Space Agency. Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced on August 6 that Bulgaria plans to build a National Center for Observation, Coordination and Management through Space Data.

"What is happening here is a reflection of the government's economic policy - investing in the knowledge economy, high-tech manufacturing, research and development," Radev said. "I hope that this way we will transform Bulgaria from a country that consumes technologies into a country that creates them." A noble sentiment, though one might note that most countries start by creating technologies before they consume them. But hey, better late than never.

EnduroSat founder and CEO Raycho Raychev said the project is "very complex and large," with ambitions to create "a comprehensive center for assembly, testing and qualification of new generations of satellites." The goal is to turn Dobroslavtsi into one of the largest space and defense development centers in Europe. Because when you think of European space hubs, you think of Bulgaria, right? Well, they're working on it.

Other Bulgarian space companies, like Earth observation data firm Sfera Technologies, are watching closely. Zdravko Dimitrov, Sfera's founder and CEO, told SpaceNews that Bulgaria is a rare European example of a country with a near-full stack of space technology, including ground segment services for low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit, and geostationary orbit, satellite manufacturing and AIT, sovereign geostationary communications, and "a rich heritage in space and planetary science that dates back to the 1970s." That's quite a résumé, even if the full-stack claim sounds like a job posting.

Dimitrov noted that Bulgaria's space sector is fragmented, and the Dobroslavtsi initiative aims to create a hub to support its growth. He also highlighted the presence of talent and institutions like the University of Sofia, which "has a very robust aerospace engineering program." So there's hope yet.

As for Sfera, Dimitrov said the company plans to support "around a dozen" satellites by the end of 2026, driven by growing demand for ground segment and integrated data delivery services. By 2027, Sfera aims to expand its ground station infrastructure and acquire its own ground stations. The market they're eyeing includes the EU, the U.S., and Southeast Asia, where demand for capability is growing. Because apparently, everyone wants a piece of the space pie, and Bulgaria wants a slice too.

Editor's note (August 14, 2026): This article has been updated to reflect EnduroSat's role in the MoU with Bulgaria's government. Because accuracy matters, even in space.