An artificial satellite, owned by a Bulgarian telecom operator was launched into orbit on board the Falcon 9 rocket by the American SpaceX company at Cape Canaveral, Florida at 10.10 PM Bulgarian time last night.

The satellite, manufactured by the American SSL company, is Bulgaria's first, weighs around 4 tons and is expected to function in geostationary orbit for 15-20 years.

The BulgariaSat-1 will be used to broadcast TV and Internet signals; it can also be used in an emergency such as natural calamities or disasters when land-based networks are out.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov felicitated the teams who worked in the first Bulgarian geostationary communications satellite:

“This event has placed Bulgaria among the 12 EU countries with the most significant space presence. This first Bulgarian geostationary satellite will provide more and better quality telecommunications services in the Balkans and in other parts of Europe, directly into our homes,” said the Bulgarian prime minister.