The SpainSat satellites will provide communications for the Spanish government.
Both SpainSat satellites are expected to begin service by spring 2026.
SpaceX did not plan to recover the first stage rocket for the SpainSat mission.
The SpainSat NG I & II satellites replace the current SpainSat and XTAR-EUR satellites, providing advances in communications.
The first SpainSat satellite was launched in January.
Hisdesat contracted Airbus in April 2019 to enhance the Spainsat fleet and build the Spainsat Next Generation satellites.
Arquimea also participates in major international missions, including Artemis, SpainSat, Copernicus, and Galileo.
Xtar will continue to provide service using the 15-year-old Xtar-Eur and a payload it leases on Hisdesat’s 14-year-old SpainSat until both are superseded by the 1,600,000,000 EUR SpainSat NG system.
Xtar leases a payload on Hisdesat’s SpainSat satellite that was launched in 2006.
Xtar is deciding with partner Hisdesat how to keep the SpainSat and Xtar-Eur satellites flying after their replacements launch in 2023.
Hisdesat ordered two SpainSat next-generation satellites from Airbus Defence and Space to replace Xtar-Eur and SpainSat in 2023.
The SpainSat Next Generation satellites will provide military communications for the Spanish Ministry of Defence, which holds a 30% stake in Hisdesat.
Spainsat NG 1 and Spainsat NG 2 will succeed the Spainsat and Xtar-Eur satellites, both of which launched more than 10 years ago.