High Gain Antenna Gimbal (HGAG) for the rover Perseverance of the Mars 2020 mission
SpainSat NG-I was launched from Cape Canaveral (Florida) on a Falcon 9 rocket at 20.34 local time (02.34 Spanish time).
Its twin satellite, SpainSat NG II, is expected to be launched into orbit in October 2025.
The SpainSat programme is an example of public-private collaboration, as it is supported by the Ministry of Defence and other governmental institutions.
The programme is led by the Spanish company Hisdesat, which is responsible for monitoring the project and will carry out the operation and commercial exploitation of the programme during its useful life, as well as having been responsible for the flight segment and the ground segment for the control and operation of the satellites.
The programme is led by a consortium formed by Airbus DS España (as prime contractor) and the French and Spanish subsidiaries of Thales Alenia Space.
More than 40 % of the satellites have been developed by Spanish companies that are members of Tedae, the Spanish Association of Defence, Security, Aeronautics and Space Technology Companies. These include: Hisdesat, Aibus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Crisa, Alter Technology, Arquimea, GMV, HV Sistemas, Indra, Tecnobit-Grupo Oesía, Sener and Inventia.