SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 to Deploy SpainSat NG 2 Satellite

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch the SpainSat NG 2 communications satellite on March 15, 2025. This marks the 21st and final flight of the Falcon 9 booster, which will be used in an expendable mission to deploy the satellite for Hisdesat, a Spanish company. The launch was initially planned for the previous evening but was postponed for undisclosed reasons.

The Falcon 9 booster will not be recovered for this mission, as it requires additional performance to successfully deliver the payload to orbit. SpaceX announced that the booster will not be fitted with landing legs or grid fins, which are typically used for recovery. This weight reduction will enhance the rocket’s lift capacity. While the booster will be expended, the two halves of the payload fairing are expected to be recovered after they parachute into the Atlantic Ocean.

SpainSat NG 2 weighs 6.1 tons (13,448 lbs) when fully fueled and will be launched into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite is scheduled for deployment over 35 minutes after liftoff. The launch will take place from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, during a four-hour launch window that opens at 21:30 EDT (01:30 UTC).

The 45th Weather Squadron has forecasted over a 95 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch, with no specific meteorological concerns anticipated. Assuming no further delays, this will be SpaceX’s 134th orbital launch of 2025, matching its total launches for all of 2024. The company aims to exceed 170 launches this year.

Overview of SpainSat Next Generation Satellites

The SpainSat NG 2 satellite is the second of two geostationary satellites developed by Hisdesat. The first satellite, SpainSat NG 1, was successfully launched on January 29, 2025, and commenced operations at the 30 degrees West orbital position on August 11. In contrast, SpainSat NG 2 will operate at 29 degrees East. Both satellites are designed for a nominal operational life of 15 years.

Constructed on the Airbus Defence and Space’s Eurostar Neo satellite platform, each satellite features a wingspan of nearly 50 meters (164 feet). Funding for the SpainSat NG 2 satellite was partially provided by a €74 million ($86 million) investment from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through the Agencia Espacial Española (Spanish Space Agency) and the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación (Center for Technological Development and Innovation).

Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, stated, “This satellite will place the Spanish industry at the top of Europe in the field of advanced secure communication systems and today it is the most innovative and advanced communications satellite on our continent.”

SpainSat NG 2 is designed primarily to provide secure communications for the Government of Spain. Additionally, Hisdesat will extend services to the European Union via the Govsatcom program and NATO. The satellites will operate across X-, Ka-, and UHF bands, with Airbus handling the X-band payload and Thales Alenia Space’s Spanish office constructing the Military Ka- and UHF-band payloads.

The combined capabilities of the two satellites will offer extensive coverage, reaching from North America to Asia, specifically to Singapore. This mission highlights significant advancements in Spain’s capabilities in secure communication technologies and positions the country as a leader in the European satellite communications sector.