SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches SpainSat NG II Satellite For The Spanish Military

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Spainsat Next Generation 2 (NG-2) satellite lifted off into at 0130 UTC on Oct. 24, from Space Launch Complex (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida marking the company's 139th mission of the year and setting a new record for the most launches in a single calendar year.

This Falcon 9 booster B1076, which had previously flown 21 times, was used in an expendable configuration to meet the additional performance requirements needed to deliver the heavy satellite to its intended orbit. This decision allowed for weight savings by omitting landing legs and grid fins, thereby increasing the rocket's lift capacity. The payload fairing halves were recovered via parachutes after descending into the Atlantic Ocean.

"This launch marks the 22nd and final launch for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting today’s mission as additional performance is required to deliver the SpainSat NG II satellite to geosynchronous orbit," SpaceX wrote on X. "The first stage booster supporting today’s mission previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, SES O3b mPOWER-C, Ovzon-3, Eutelsat 26D, Turksat 6A, Maxar 2, SXM-9, and 12 Starlink missions."

The Falcon 9's upper stage deployed the Spainsat NG-2 satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit about 34 minutes after liftoff.

The Spainsat NG-2 satellite, manufactured by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space on behalf of Spain-based Hisdesat, is designed to provide military-grade secure communications for the Spanish Armed Forces and their international partners. It is part of a larger constellation that will cover extensive global regions, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South America, and the United States, enabling effective command and control over approximately two-thirds of the Earth's surface.

The satellite, with a fully fueled mass of 6.1 tonnes, will operate at the 29 degrees East orbital position and is expected to remain in service until 2037.

The Spainsat NG-2 mission is a key component of Spain’s effort to modernize its military communications infrastructure and is aligned with NATO and EU GOVSATCOM programme requirements.

The satellites represent a significant technological advancement, offering 16 times greater X and Ka-band capacity compared to their predecessors and enhanced resilience against jamming, spoofing, and high-altitude nuclear phenomena.

The project, led by a consortium including Airbus D&S and Thales Alenia Space, has seen over 45% of its components manufactured in Spain, contributing to more than 500 skilled jobs during development and maintaining over 100 engineers annually during its operational lifespan.