The new Hispasat 36W-1 is already in space

Launched aboard a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana, the new satellite in the Hispasat fleet incorporates the innovative RedSAT regenerative payload, which will allow the satellite's power to be used more agilely and efficiently.

Hispasat has successfully launched this weekend its tenth satellite, 36W-1 (H36W-1), from the European Space Port of Kourou (French Guiana), aboard the Soyuz launch vehicle of the Arianespace company.

Approximately 32 minutes after the rocket took off, the H36W-1 satellite separated from the launch vehicle, and its initialization and solar panels were deployed. From there, maneuvers began to position the new satellite at the point in the geostationary orbit where the testing phase will be carried out to check its correct operation, which will last several weeks.

Carlos Espiños, CEO of the satellite operator, stated that "for Hispasat, this new satellite represents an important step in our innovation strategy. The Hispasat 36W-1 not only constitutes the first mission of the new SmallGEO platform, but also incorporates an advanced regenerative payload that, thanks to its reconfigurable antenna and on-board processor, will provide the satellite with greater flexibility and signal quality, thus improving the telecommunications services it will provide to our clients. We are very satisfied of this collaboration with ESA, which has allowed us to participate in a technologically cutting-edge project, to which they have contributed great added value with their knowledge and experience in the space field.”

The new satellite will have coverage in South America and Europe, including the Canary Islands. With a useful life of 15 years, it will offer video contribution and cellular backhaul services, as well as enterprise and broadband solutions. It has 20 Ku band transponders and additional capacity of up to 3 Ka band transponders and has a launch mass of 3,200 kilos.

SmallGEO Platform

The H36W-1 satellite, built by the German company OHB System AG, constitutes the first mission of the new SmallGEO platform, developed by the German manufacturer together with the European Space Agency and Hispasat. This platform allows a substantial reduction in mass of the satellite thanks to the use of electric propulsion throughout its useful life.
In addition, the H36W-1 carries an advanced regenerative payload, RedSAT, composed of a novel active antenna with reconfigurable beams that, together with the onboard processor, improves the efficiency and performance of the satellite. The antenna can be electronically controlled from Earth and reoriented at any time during the life of the satellite, giving it the flexibility to adapt its coverage in orbit to changes that may occur in the mission after launch.

The onboard processor is another step in the evolution of satellites, which can considerably simplify the network architecture by carrying out part of the processing that is usually carried out on Earth in space. It can process up to four 36 MHz transponders simultaneously, correcting possible signal degradations and transmitting it without errors, which translates into a more robust and higher quality communications system that allows reception with small diameter antennas.

The project, with an investment of more than 240 million euros, has had financing from the CDTI and with significant participation from Spanish companies such as Airbus Defense and Space España, Arquimea, Celis, Crisa, Expace, GMV, Iberespacio, Indra, Tecnobit (Grupo Oesía), Thales Alenia Space España or Tryo Aerospace.

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