WASHINGTON \u2014 A Spanish military communications satellite launched in October was struck by what its operator described as a \u201cspace particle,\u201d an incident that could jeopardize the spacecraft\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
Indra Group, the majority owner of satellite operator Hisdesat, announced Jan. 2 that the SpainSat NG 2 satellite \u201csuffered the impact of a space particle\u201d while maneuvering to its final position in geostationary orbit.<\/p>\n
The company provided few details, including the exact timing of the incident. It said the impact occurred when the spacecraft was at an altitude of about 50,000 kilometers.<\/p>\n
The Airbus-built SpainSat NG 2 launched Oct. 23 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 6,100-kilogram satellite was placed into a supersynchronous transfer orbit with an apogee of more than 60,000 kilometers on a rare Falcon 9 mission that expended the booster to achieve higher performance.<\/p>\n
The altitude of the incident, well above the geostationary belt, suggests a collision with orbital debris is unlikely. The spacecraft may instead have been struck by a micrometeoroid. Another possibility is that the reference to a \u201cspace particle\u201d reflects an interaction with charged particles associated with space weather; NOAA\u2019s Space Weather Prediction Center reported minor to moderate activity in recent days.<\/p>\n
SpainSat NG 2 is one of two satellites launched last year by Hisdesat to provide secure communications for the Spanish Ministry of Defense and allied governments. SpainSat NG 1 launched in January 2025 on another Falcon 9 and is operating normally.<\/p>\n
Indra said it activated a contingency plan to ensure customers are not affected by the incident involving SpainSat NG 2.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe technical team is analyzing the available data to determine the extent of the damage. If necessary, SpainSat NG II will be replaced as soon as possible,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n
Replacing a large geostationary communications satellite, particularly one carrying a specialized communications payload, could take several years.<\/p>\n
Both SpainSat NG satellites use Airbus Eurostar Neo satellite buses and are equipped with reconfigurable X-band antennas and steerable Ka-band antennas that were developed in part with technical support from the European Space Agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpainSat NG represents the next generation of secure satellite communications in Europe,\u201d Laurent Jaffart, ESA\u2019s director of connectivity and secure communications, said in a statement after the launch of SpainSat NG 2. \u201cThis second launch marks a key milestone in providing more adaptable and secure communications services that will benefit governmental users across Europe and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
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