The highly anticipated Communications Module of the SpainSat NG-I telecommunications satellite has finally left the Thales Alenia Space plant in Tres Cantos, Spain, and is on its way to Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France. The module will undergo assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) activities as part of the larger satellite project.
The SpainSat NG program is owned and operated by Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos S.A. and will provide secure communication services to the Spanish Ministry of Defence and Governmental Agencies. The program includes two satellites, SpainSat NG I and II, which will be located at different geostationary positions and operate in X, military Ka, and UHF bands. The communication payloads for both satellites are provided by Spanish industry, with the integration of the Communications Module in Spain being a significant milestone for the country’s space industry.
Airbus Defence and Space in Spain is responsible for the integrated X-band payload, while Thales Alenia Space in Spain is responsible for the UHF and Ka-band payloads of both satellites. Other companies from the Spanish space industry are also involved in the project.
The Communications Module arrived in Tres Cantos in December 2021 and has undergone comprehensive AIT activities for the three communication payloads. The module will now proceed with AIT activities at satellite level in Toulouse, preparing for launch in 2024. Meanwhile, the Communications Module of SpainSat NG-II will continue with payloads’ assembly, integration, and test activities in Thales Alenia Space’s clean rooms in Tres Cantos.
