Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 17, 2026

QUVIK

QUVIK is a future ultraviolet space telescope under development by the Prague-based company VZLU Aerospace with the support of the Czech government and the European Space Agency (ESA). It will be the first space telescope developed in Czechia. QUVIK is expected to launch in 2028.

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Jul 17, 2026
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QUVIK
Mission typeSpace telescope
for UV Photometry
OperatorCzech Republic VZLU
Websitequvik.cz
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerVZLU / TOPTEC
Launch mass130 kilograms (290 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date2028 (planned)
Main telescope
TypeMaksutov-Cassegrain

QUVIK (Quick Ultra-Violet Kilonovae Surveyor) is a future ultraviolet space telescope under development by the Prague-based company VZLU Aerospace with the support of the Czech government and the European Space Agency (ESA).12345 It will be the first space telescope developed in Czechia.2 QUVIK is expected to launch in 2028.6

Background

QUVIK is a collaboration between VZLU, Masaryk University,1 TOPTEC (Institute of Plasma Physics),67 and PEKASAT.8 The mission has been selected for realization by the Czech Ministry of Transport and ESA in 2023 together with another VZLU-led satellite mission called AMBIC with an expected budget of €30 million each.5

Objectives

Its primary focus is the study of kilonovae and their role in the formation of elements heavier than iron.291011 It will also probe the accretion disks of black holes with high-cadence monitoring12 and study the UV emissions of stars and active galactic nuclei.13

See also

See also

References

References

  1. "QUVIK will become the first Czech space telescope Astrophysicists from Masaryk University lead the scientific part of the project". Faculty of Science MU | MUNI SCI. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  2. "QUVIK – THE FIRST CZECH SPACE TELESCOPE – QUVIK". Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  3. Werner, N.; Řípa, J.; Münz, F.; Hroch, F.; Jelínek, M.; Krtička, J.; Zajaček, M.; Topinka, M.; Dániel, V. (2022-07-12), Quick Ultra-VIolet Kilonova surveyor (QUVIK), arXiv:2207.05485, retrieved 2026-03-16
  4. s.r.o, Titio. "The Czech Republic will have two separate space missions: AMBIC and QUVIK". md.gov.cz. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  5. Houdek, Tomas (2023-09-28). "First Czech Space Telescope QUVIK Given Green Light - Brno Daily". Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  6. "The TOPTEC Center to participate in unique QUVIK space telescope project". www.ipp.cas.cz. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  7. "Space Optics - TOPTEC". toptec.eu. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  8. "Welcome to PEKASAT | PEKASAT SE". www.pekasat.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  9. Werner, Norbert; Ripa, Jakub; Munz, Filip; Daniel, Vladimir (July 2024). "QUVIK: Quick Ultra Violet Kilonova surveyor". 45th COSPAR Scientific Assembly. 45: 1743. Bibcode:2024cosp...45.1743W.
  10. "Mission overview of QUVIK: the first Czech-led space telescope and its science case".
  11. University, Masaryk. "QUVIK". Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics | MUNI SCI. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  12. Zajaček, Michal (November 2024). "How can we utilize the planned small UV space telescope QUVIK for solving unresolved AGN problems?". Appearance and Dynamics of Accretion Onto Black Holes: I.4. Bibcode:2024apab.conf..I.4Z. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14096466.
  13. Zajaček, Michal; Werner, Norbert; Best, Henry; L'Heureux, Jolie Esme; Řípa, Jakup; Viskotová, Monika; Mondek, Martin; Münz, Filip; Å tofanová, Lýdia; Kurfürst, Petr; Labaj, Matúš; Garland, Izzy L.; Tohuvavohu, Aaron; Karas, Vladimír; Suková, Petra (October 2025). "High-cadence observations of galactic nuclei by the future two-band UV-photometry mission QUVIK". Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems. 11 (4) 042222. arXiv:2501.19365. Bibcode:2025JATIS..11d2222Z. doi:10.1117/1.JATIS.11.4.042222.