Page 20 - hisdeSAT annual report 2014

About Hisdesat

2.4 The Hisdesat satellite

system

Secure Communications System

The national governmental commu- munications service over two thirds
nications programme makes us of of the Earth’s surface.
the SpainSat and the Xtar-Eur sa-
tellites. The satellites are operated from
ground control centres at Arganda
The SpainSat satellite, located at del Rey (Madrid) and Maspalomas
orbital position 30º West, allows (Gran Canaria), for SpainSat; and in
LORAL simultaneous coverage of most Ottawa (Canada) and Mt.Jackson

of Europe, North Africa and some (Virginia, USA), for Xtar-Eur.
parts of the Middle East. On the
other side of the Atlantic, cove- This satellite system has a mini-
rage extends to South and Cen- mum expected lifespan of fifteen
tral America and much of North years. Becoming operational in
America. Thirteen X-band trans- 2006, they will therefore meet
ponders and one high-powered the operational requirements of
K-band transponder are used, the Spanish Ministry of Defence
SPAINSAT allowing for secure, high-quality until 2021. In addition, services are
communications. provided to other national gover-
nmental bodies, like the Ministry of
The Xtar-Eur satellite, positioned at Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the
29º East, has 12 X-band transpon-
Interior and the Spanish National
ders and offers coverage from Bra- Research Council (CSIC).
zil to Indonesia, including Europe,
Africa, the Middle East and much At international level, secure com-
of Asia. With these two satellites, munications services are provided
HISDESAT Hisdesat can offer its secure com- to the US Defense Department, the

XTAR LLC

XTAR-EUR

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