The first of two Airbus-built next-generation SpainSat satellites, SpainSat NG-I, has been successfully launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Operated by Hisdesat for the Spanish Armed Forces, the satellite is Europe’s most advanced secure communications satellite, supporting UHF, Ka, and X bands.
Following testing and commissioning, SpainSat NG-I is expected to enter service in geostationary orbit in the second half of 2025.
“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 Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.
As prime contractor, Airbus Defence and Space designed, integrated, and tested the satellite at its Toulouse, France-based facilities. Airbus in Spain developed the advanced X-band active antenna system, which provides the equivalent functionality of 16 traditional antennas. These active antennas offer high flexibility and resilience, with software-defined coverage that can adapt up to 1,000 times per second. They can detect, geolocate, and mitigate multiple sources of interference with precision and are radiation-hardened to withstand a potential nuclear blast.
SpainSat NG-I will deliver a tenfold increase in communications capacity over its predecessor, enabling higher data transmission throughput and extending coverage to over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface.
The twin satellite, SpainSat NG-II, is currently undergoing assembly and testing at Airbus Defence and Space and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Key technologies aboard SpainSat NG-I were developed through the Pacis 3 ESA-Hisdesat Partnership, part of the ESA ARTES program, and supported by the Spanish Space Agency.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space, and related services. It designs, manufactures, and delivers industry-leading commercial aircraft, helicopters, military transports, satellites, and launch vehicles. Airbus also provides data services, navigation, secure communications, urban mobility, and other solutions. With a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability, Airbus plays a key role in advancing aerospace and defense capabilities across Europe and around the world. For more information, please click here.
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