XTAR, LLC is pleased to announce plans for the construction of two satellites as replacements for XTAR-EUR and XTAR-LANT (SPAINSAT). The new satellites will enable XTAR and the Spanish governmental satellite operator Hisdesat to continue their partnership, with XTAR remaining the exclusive provider of Hisdesat capacity to the U.S. Government. Today’s move ensures current and future XTAR customers will be provided continuous operations on the XTAR fleet for decades to come.
The new satellites, SPAINSAT NG 1 and 2, will offer X-,Mil-Ka and UHF bands. Both will include state-of-the-art features such as telemetry and command encryption, a digital payload offering flexible bandwidth and connectivity, and anti-jamming and geo-location capabilities. They will also feature NATO compliant nuclear hardening.
“The XTAR team has been eagerly anticipating this news,” explains XTAR President and CEO Jay Icard. “The new satellites greatly expand our product offerings, enhancing our role as a provider of commercial infrastructure that complements the U.S. space enterprise with WGS-compatible capacity. Our nearly 20-year relationship with Hisdesat is a model for international cooperation with an allied partner to provide service to the U.S. military.”
“This announcement is quite revolutionary in the government communications satellites scenario as the new satellites have been designed to fulfill the expectations of government and military clients all over the world”, says Miguel Ángel Panduro, CEO of Hisdesat. “This communication system stands out for its high reliability and resilience to nuclear events and interferences. It also incorporates the NATO and EU requirements, which will allow its use by the allied countries in the missions led by both institutions”.
The new satellites are dubbed NG 1 and 2, standing for Next Generation. As Brigadier General Carlos De Salas, Head of C4ISR & Space Programs at the Spanish MoD explains, “The new constellation of Spanish military communications satellites SPAINSAT NG 1 and NG 2 will provide both the Spanish MoD and the rest of the Spanish administration, as well as EU (GOVSATCOM initiative), NATO, European and American allied and friendly nations, powerful, secure and flexible strategic communications state-of-the-art capabilities in the X, Ka-mil and UHF bands, at the height of the most demanding ‘Knowledge needs’.” He continues, “And nothing is more powerful than KNOWLEDGE.“