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Spainsat NG is the upcoming generation of secure communications satellites being built by Spain for the Armed Forces and the State. The project, managed jointly by the Spanish Ministry of Defense and satellite services operator Hisdesat, involves the construction and launch of two new generation satellites and their ground control and monitoring component.

The twin satellites, Spainsat NG I and Spainsat NG II, are currently under development by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space consortia. They are based on Airbus’ Eurostar Neo platform and weigh approximately 6.1 tons each. The satellites have a central structure of about seven meters in length and a total wingspan of close to 50 meters with deployed solar panels.

Once launched into space in 2024 and 2025, Spainsat NG I will occupy the 30º West orbital position, while NG II will be located at 29º East. These positions will enable secure communication across a wide area, including the United States, South America, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and even Singapore, covering two-thirds of the Earth.

The new satellites will provide expanded command and control capabilities to the Spanish Ministry of Defense and the State, connecting key centers involved in security, defense, and intelligence. The Spainsat NG program includes three operating bands of the electromagnetic spectrum: the X-band, military Ka band, and UHF band.

The X-band will feature a reconfigurable active antenna for reception and transmission, offering 16 different independent communication beams with dual polarization. The military Ka-band will use six steerable beams and a semi-global receive beam to transmit large volumes of data. The UHF band is of special interest to the Armed Forces.

In addition to their advanced communication capabilities, the Spainsat NG satellites integrate a Digital Transparent Processor (DTP), enabling them to manage a total bandwidth of eight Giga Hertz. This provides complete connectivity and control over the available channels in the X and Ka bands, significantly enhancing their capabilities compared to the current Spainsat system.

The ground component of the Spainsat NG system plays a crucial role in transmitting commands and ensuring the proper functioning of the satellites. The main control and monitoring center will be located in Hoyo de Manzanares, near Madrid, with a redundant center in INTA’s Maspalomas Space Station in Gran Canaria.

To put the satellites into orbit, Hisdesat has contracted the services of SpaceX and their Falcon 9 launcher. The launch of Spainsat NG I is scheduled for 2024, followed by NG II in 2025. The Falcon 9 rocket is known for its reliability and recoverability, with a success rate of 99% in its previous flights.

Overall, the Spainsat NG program represents a significant advancement in secure communications capabilities for the Spanish Armed Forces and State authorities, providing expanded coverage and enhanced connectivity for critical operations.

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