Spainsat NG

Last updated
Spainsat NG program
Program overview
CountryFlag of Spain.svg  Spain
Organization Hisdesat
Purpose Communications
StatusIn development
Program history
Duration2024-2040 (forecast)
First flightSpainsat NG I (Sep 2024) [1]
Last flightSpainsat NG II (2025)
Vehicle information
Launch vehicle(s) Falcon 9 Block 5

Spainsat NG is a Spanish communications satellite program aimed at developing next-generation satellites to meet Spain's government and military secure communications needs. [2]

Contents

The industrial management of the program is carried out by a consortium of four contractors: Airbus Defense and Space in Spain and France, and Thales Alenia Space in Spain and France. [3] [4] [5] Other companies from the Spanish space sector that will also participate are Acorde, Anteral, Arquimea, Crisa, GMV, Iberespacio, Indra, Sener and Tecnobit. [6] Public participation includes the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Industry, CDTI, INTA and ESA. The satellites operator will be Hisdesat. [7]

The Spainsat NG program comprises two satellites, Spainsat NG I and Spainsat NG II, which will be located in geostationary orbit and will operate in X-band, military Ka-band and UHF. These satellites will be based on the Eurostar Neo platform, Airbus' new geostationary telecommunications satellite product. This platform is a significant evolution of the reliable Eurostar platform. The communication payloads of both satellites will be provided by the Spanish industry, with Airbus in Spain being responsible for the X-band payload and Thales in Spain being responsible for the Ka and UHF band payloads.

The satellites will have protection against interference, as well as the ability to precisely geolocate the origin of the interference, and will probably also have protection against high altitude nuclear explosions (HANE). [8]

The first satellite, Spainsat NG I, will be launched in 2024 and will occupy the GEO 29º E position, replacing XTAR-EUR. The second one, the Spainsat NG II, will be launched in 2025 and will occupy the GEO 30º W position, replacing Spainsat. The Spainsat NG satellites will have an operational useful life of 15 years, remaining in service until 2040. Both launches will be performed by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. [9]

In October 2020, Spainsat NG program successfully passed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) [10] and in December 2021 it passed the Critical Design Review (CDR). [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spacebus</span> Brand of satellite bus

Spacebus is a satellite bus produced at the Cannes Mandelieu Space Center in France by Thales Alenia Space. Spacebuses are typically used for geostationary communications satellites, and seventy-four have been launched since development started in the 1980s. Spacebus was originally produced by Aérospatiale and later passed to Alcatel Alenia Space. In 2006, it was sold to Thales Group as Thales Alenia Space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Institute for Aerospace Technology</span> Research agency in of Spain

The National Institute for Aerospace Technology "Esteban Terradas" is an autonomous agency of the Spanish public administration dependent on the Secretariat of State for Defence (SEDEF). It is responsible for the aerospace, aeronautics, hydrodynamics, and defense and security technologies research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INVAP</span>

INVAP S.E. is an Argentine company that provides design, integration, construction and delivery of equipment, plants and devices. The company operates in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and delivers projects for nuclear, aerospace, chemical, medical, petroleum and governmental sectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thales Alenia Space</span> Satellite manufacturer

Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between the French technology corporation Thales Group (67%) and Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo (33%). The company is headquartered in Cannes, France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alphabus</span>

Alphabus is a family of heavy geostationary communications satellites developed by a joint venture between Thales Alenia Space and EADS Astrium Satellites in France, with support of the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES), the French space agency and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Amazonas 1 or Hispasat 55W-1 was a communications satellite based on the Eurostar 3000 satellite bus and owned by satellites operator Hispasat, based in Madrid, Spain. It was launched on 5 August 2004, with a launch mass of 4,5 ton, on a Proton-M Briz-M launcher to be located in the 61º W geostationary position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SABIA-Mar</span> Dual satellite joint Earth observation mission

The SABIA-Mar, originally called SAC-E by CONAE, is a dual satellite joint Earth observation mission. The mission objective is to study the oceanic biosphere, its changes over time, and how it is affected by and reacts to human activity. It will focus on the monitoring of ocean surfaces, especially studying the ocean ecosystem, the carbon cycle, and marine habitats, as well as ocean mapping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARSAT-1</span> Argentine geostationary communications satellite

ARSAT-1 is a geostationary communications satellite operated by AR-SAT and built by the Argentine company INVAP. ARSAT-1 was launched into orbit on October 16, 2014, from French Guiana alongside Intelsat-30 satellite using an Ariane 5 rocket. It is expected to be located at 72° West longitude geostationary slot. ARSAT-1 is the first geostationary satellite built in Latin America. Total cost of the satellite is 270 million US dollars.

Athena-Fidus is a French-Italian telecommunication satellite providing high-throughput secure communications to both nation's armed forces and their emergency services. It was manufactured by Thales Alenia Space under the supervision of CNES, the Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It complements the lower-throughput but more secure Syracuse 3 satellites. The satellite has a wet mass of 3080 kg and was placed on geostationary orbit in 2014. Its expected lifetime is 15 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CERES (satellite)</span> French military satellite program

CERES is a French space-based electronic surveillance constellation designed to collect intelligence of electromagnetic origins anywhere in the world. Consisting of three formation-flying satellites, it was developed by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space under the management of the CNES for the French defence procurement agency (DGA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARSAT-2</span> Argentine geostationary communications satellite

ARSAT-2 is a geostationary communications satellite operated by ARSAT and built by the Argentine company INVAP. It was launched from French Guiana alongside Sky Muster satellite using an Ariane 5ECA rocket on September 30, 2015 at 20:30hs UTC, becoming the 400th satellite to be launched by Arianespace. It is licensed to be located at 81° West longitude geostationary slot. ARSAT-2 is the second geostationary satellite built in Argentina, after ARSAT-1. Structurally and mechanically it is a copy of the ARSAT-1, the only difference being the payload and thus it has different antenna configuration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ARSAT-3K</span> Argentine geostationary communications satellite

ARSAT-3K is a geostationary communications satellite bus designed and manufactured by INVAP of Argentina for the local telecommunication company ARSAT S.A. It is a small three axis stabilized platform designed, manufactured and tested completely in Argentina. It is capable of carrying up to 350 kg (770 lb) of payload with a maximum power consumption of 3.4 kW at the end of life. It currently uses only chemical propulsion, but a hybrid solution which would use bi-propellant propulsion for orbit raising and electric propulsion for station keeping is being developed. A purely electric propulsion version is planned.

Ekspress-AMU1, also known as Eutelsat 36C, is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) and designed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space on the Eurostar-3000 satellite bus for its Ekspress constellation. It massed 5,892 kg (12,990 lb) at launch, had a power production capacity of 15 kW and a 15-year design life. Its payload is composed of 61 Ku-band and 10 Ka-band transponders.

The Geostationary Satellite for Defense and Strategic Communications is a Brazilian geostationary communication satellite that was built by Thales Alenia Space in France, it was placed in the orbital position of 75 degrees west longitude and will be operated by Telebrás. Telebrás selected Viasat as a partner to help build the associated ground system. The satellite was based on the Spacebus-4000 platform and its life expectancy will be 18 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paz (satellite)</span> Spanish military Earth observation satellite

Paz is a Spanish Earth observation and reconnaissance satellite launched on 22 February 2018. It is Spain's first spy satellite. The satellite is operated by Hisdesat. Paz was previously referred to as SEOSAR.

The XTAR-EUR is a communication satellite developed by Spain and the United States and in order to provide a secure channel over the Indian Ocean. It was originally operated by XTAR and Hisdesat. In year 2020 Hisdesat bought 100% stake on the satellite. Its launch short after the Spainsat is part of an effort to strengthen Spain's communication ties with allied countries around the globe, particularly in maters of national security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eutelsat Konnect</span> Eutelsat telecommunications satellite

Eutelsat Konnect is a geostationary communications satellite operated by Eutelsat. The satellite was designed and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus NEO 100 platform, and was launched on 16 January 2020 on an Ariane 5 ECA. The satellite provides broadband internet and communications coverage to Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Lume-1 is a Spanish nanosatellite developed for educational and scientific purposes by the University of Vigo in cooperation with Alén Space, the University of Porto and the French National Centre of Scientific Research. The satellite is part of the Fire-RS program in order to battle wildfires.

Eutelsat Quantum is a communications satellite developed in the framework of a public-private partnership between the European Space Agency, Eutelsat and Airbus Defence and Space. Operated by Eutelsat, its design allows for it to reconfigure its radios coverage zone and alter its performance according its needs. It is located in a geostationary orbit and its longitude may be modified to cover any region in the world.

The Hispasat 1A was the first communications satellite operated by the Spanish company Hispasat. The satellite covered communications over the Atlantic Ocean for both civilian and military customers. Together with the later Hispasat 1B it formed the first European constellation operating over the New World. Its service life ended in 2003.

References

  1. Pons, Juan (18 September 2023). "El primer satélite español resistente a explosiones nucleares despegará en septiembre de 2024" [The first Spanish satellite resistant to nuclear explosions will take off in September 2024]. Atalayar (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  2. "Hisdesat y el Ministerio de Defensa de España firman acuerdo por SpainSAT NG". LATAM Satelital (in Spanish). 13 July 2019.
  3. "Hisdesat designa a Airbus y Thales Alenia Space para construir los satélites SPAINSAT NG". TEDAE (in Spanish). 18 July 2019.
  4. "Airbus inks two-satellite deal with Spain's satellite operator Hisdesat". SpaceNews. 6 May 2019.
  5. "Airbus y Thales Alenia Space construirán dos nuevos satélites Spainsat". www.europapress.es (in Spanish). 6 May 2019.
  6. "Hisdesat y Defensa firman el contrato del programa Spainsat NG". www.infoespacial.com (in Spanish). 11 July 2019.
  7. "Hisdesat, dos décadas impulsando la industria espacial de nuestro país". www.elradar.es (in Spanish). 28 April 2020.
  8. Dirección General de Armamento y Material (November 2019). "PROGRAMA SPAINSAT NG" (PDF). Ministerio de Defensa (España) (in Spanish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2020-10-24.
  9. "SpaceX lanzará los satélites españoles SpainSat NG". Avion Revue (in Spanish). 4 November 2022.
  10. "SPAINSAT NG supera con éxito la Revisión preliminar del diseño (PDR)". Avion Revue (in Spanish). 22 October 2020.
  11. "El programa SPAINSAT NG supera con éxito la revisión crítica de diseño". Avion Revue (in Spanish). 20 December 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2021.