The SpainSat NG II secure communications satellite has been successfully placed into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This marks a major milestone for the SPAINSAT NG program, ensuring secure and resilient communications for Spain’s Ministry of Defense and allied nations for many years to come.
Led, owned, and operated by Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos S.A., SPAINSAT NG represents the most ambitious space initiative ever undertaken in Spain. Its scale, technological sophistication, and extensive national industrial participation make it a landmark project. The SpainSat NG satellites rank among the most advanced telecommunications platforms worldwide, operating from geostationary orbit across the X, military Ka, and UHF frequency bands. These capabilities enable secure, high-throughput communications for both national defense and international partners, including NATO and the European Commission.
Thales Alenia Space—jointly owned by Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%)—has worked alongside Airbus Defence and Space to lead the design and construction of the satellites. Within Spain, Thales Alenia Space was responsible for developing the UHF and military Ka-band payloads, and, together with Airbus, for integrating the communications modules that form the technological core of the satellites.
Ismael López, CEO of Thales Alenia Space in Spain, commented“This launch concludes a transformational chapter for Spain’s space sector. We are deeply grateful to Hisdesat and the Ministry of Defense for entrusting us with the leadership of the communications payload development—an unprecedented achievement in Spain. For our Madrid teams, successfully completing a project of this scale marks a significant leap forward for the national space industry.”
To support this program, Thales Alenia Space established a high-tech satellite integration and testing facility at its Tres Cantos site near Madrid. Opened in 2021, this clean room was purpose-built for assembling the communication modules of both SpainSat NG satellites. These world-class facilities allow the integration and verification of large, complex satellite systems—capabilities previously limited to only a handful of major spacefaring nations.
In a first for Spain, engineers successfully integrated a communication module weighing over two tons and standing six meters tall, fully equipped with state-of-the-art electronic systems designed for advanced secure communications. Across its European network in Spain, France, Italy, and Belgium, Thales Alenia Space designed and produced more than 200 radiofrequency and electronic units integral to the satellites’ payloads, telecommand, and telemetry systems. Among these are the UHF Processor, the heart of the UHF payload; the Digital Transparent Processor (DTP), which connects the X- and Ka-band payloads; and the Hilink unit, enabling high-speed service links and rapid payload reconfiguration.
With over four decades of experience and a rich blend of expertise and innovation, Thales Alenia Space provides advanced, cost-effective satellite solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental monitoring, space exploration, and orbital infrastructure. Governments and private organizations worldwide rely on its systems to enable secure communications, enhance resource management, and extend humanity’s reach into the Solar System.
A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space partners with Telespazio to form the Space Alliance, delivering end-to-end space solutions and services. The company reported consolidated revenues of €2.23 billion in 2024 and employs over 8,100 professionals across 14 sites in 7 European countries.
