Hisdesat contracts Airbus and Thales Alenia Space to build SpainSat NG III
Hisdesat · Airbus Defence and Space · Thales Alenia Space
Spain's satellite operator signed the industrial contract for a replacement secure-comms satellite after SpainSat NG II's total loss.
what happened
Hisdesat signed a formal industrial contract July 31, 2026 with Airbus Defence and Space (prime contractor, X-band payload) and Thales Alenia Space (UHF and military Ka-band payloads) to build SpainSat NG III. The satellite is due to launch in the third quarter of 2030 and reach full operational capability in early 2031, after a 48-month development period. More than ten Spanish companies will contribute subsystems.
why it matters
The contract completes the SPAINSAT NG programme after SpainSat NG II was declared a total loss in January following a debris strike. It keeps Airbus and Thales Alenia Space as the anchor suppliers for Spain's secure military satcom, which also serves NATO and EU GOVSATCOM partners, and signals Hisdesat is rebuilding rather than downsizing the architecture.
for who
European secure-satcom manufacturers and government satcom operators
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Hisdesat, Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space
- Category
- procurement
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 5 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-07-31
- Published
- 2026-08-01 05:27 UTC