Airbus-built SpainSat NG-I satellite successfully launched
by Erica Marchand
Toulouse, France (SPX) Jan 30, 2025
The first of the next-generation SpainSat satellites, SpainSat NG-I, has successfully launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, USA. This advanced satellite, operated by Hisdesat for the Spanish Armed Forces, will provide Europe's most secure communications capability in UHF, Ka, and X bands. It is scheduled to begin operations in geostationary orbit in the second half of 2025, following initial testing and commissioning.

"The launch of SpainSat NG-I with cutting-edge secure communications technology enabled by our industry-leading Eurostar Neo platform is a major step for Spanish and European sovereignty. Its innovative payload, which represents more than 45% of the satellite, has been developed thanks to a joint effort of the Spanish space industry, led by Airbus," said Alain Faure, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

As the prime contractor, Airbus Defence and Space designed, integrated, and tested the satellite at its Toulouse facilities. The satellite's innovative X-band transmit and receive active antenna system, developed by Airbus in Spain, replaces the functionality of 16 traditional antennas.

These active antennas offer remarkable flexibility and resilience, with the ability to adjust coverage up to 1,000 times per second. The system can also detect, geolocate, and mitigate interference with high precision, ensuring continuous secure communications. The satellite is radiation-hardened to withstand potential nuclear blasts.

The SpainSat NG satellites will provide a tenfold increase in communications capacity compared to their predecessors, enabling faster data transmission and coverage over two-thirds of the Earth's surface. The second satellite, SpainSat NG-II, is currently under construction and testing at Airbus Defence and Space, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

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