SPAINSAT NG II satellite successfully launched: Spain strengthens its space sovereignty with technology promoted by the Spanish Space Agency (AEE).

Spain looks to space with pride. Early this morning, the secure communications satellite SPAINSAT NG II successfully took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This launch marks a new milestone for Spain’s technological and space sovereignty, ensuring secure and autonomous communications for the Spanish government and armed forces both within and beyond our borders.

The technological heart: Spanish innovation, driven by the AEE.

The Spanish Space Agency (AEE) has played a vital role in this success by leading the development of the satellite’s technological core: the advanced communications payload, PACIS3. The AEE promoted and financed this component with an investment of €74 million, enabling the integration of the active X-band antenna, which is considered the most advanced in Europe. This pioneering technology can transmit up to 16 signals simultaneously and offers enhanced protection against interference (anti-jamming). Should someone attempt to block the signal from Earth, the system can detect the source and neutralise it — an essential capability for defence and national security missions.

A national effort: public-private collaboration in the service of space

The development of SPAINSAT NG II is the result of close collaboration between Spanish industry and the European Space Agency (ESA) within a Third Party Programme. Over 45% of the system has been manufactured in Spain by leading companies such as Hisdesat Servicios Estratégicos S.A., Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space España, Indra, Sener Aerospace & Defence, and GMV. This project showcases the technological and innovative capabilities of our industrial sector, which is establishing itself as a key player in the European space industry.

This launch is a firm step towards Spain’s strategic autonomy.

The Spanish Space Agency, which is part of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the Ministry of Defence, is consolidating its role as a driver of innovation and technological sovereignty. The success of SPAINSAT NG II reflects the AEE’s commitment to flagship projects that generate cutting-edge space systems and strengthen national capabilities, contributing to the development of a more autonomous and competitive Spain in space.

We celebrate this achievement from Seville, Spain’s Space Capital, which brings us a little closer to a future where Spain looks up to the sky and sees itself reflected in it.