The communications module (CM) of the secure telecommunications satellite SpainSat NG II from the company Hisdesat is entering the final stretch of its construction process.
After twelve months of work in the clean room of Thales Alenia Space Spain, the company responsible for integrating communication payloads in various frequency bands, this module is ready to depart at the end of the month to Airbus facilities in Toulouse (France) to continue with assembly, integration, and testing activities for the entire spacecraft.
“This is the first time in Spain that all the communication payloads of a telecommunications satellite have been integrated,” emphasized Basilio Garrido, director of operations and programs at Hisdesat, highlighting the work done by Thales Alenia Space during the satellite presentation to specialized journalists in science and technology.
The SPAINSAT NG program, owned and operated by Hisdesat, includes two satellites, SpainSat NG I and II, which will be positioned in different geostationary positions to operate in the X, Ka military, and UHF bands.
These satellites will provide service to the Spanish Government and Armed Forces from various parts of the world starting in 2025, as well as to friendly governments and international organizations such as NATO.
The launch of SpainSat NG I is scheduled for the end of this year, while its twin will be put into orbit in the third quarter of 2025, in both cases with the American company Space X.
Among the capabilities and technologies incorporated in the SpainSat NG satellites, their active X-band antennas in reception and transmission stand out, pioneering in the European aerospace sector. They will provide 16 communication beams each, with electronic configuration and orientation, developed by Airbus Defense & Space System in Spain.
The two satellites also have a transparent digital processor that, along with the antennas, allows the payload to be defined by software in near real-time.
Additionally, they will be equipped with the latest systems in protection against interference and cyber attacks (antijamming), and will be reinforced against high-altitude nuclear phenomena.
“These are cutting-edge technologies that make these communication satellites the most advanced in Europe,” emphasized Garrido.
In the development and execution of this project, the Spanish industry has contributed 45% of the workload. The Spanish divisions of Airbus Defence & Space and Thales Alenia Space are leading the execution and construction process of the satellites.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish
