27^th January 2025

Next generation UHF band GaN Solid State Power Amplifiers developed by Celestia TTI will transmit UHF signals from space to terrestrial users when the SpainSat NG I launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, on 29^th January 2025.

The Celestia TTI engineering team, which provides advanced radiofrequency, antenna and ground stations solutions for satcoms, has spent the last five years developing the innovative payload UHF band amplifiers which will enable the satellite to make contact with the earth. Their challenge was to create amplifiers capable of transmitting signals in geostationary orbit with a range of 36,000 kilometres whilst operating in extremely hostile environments. 

The amplifiers use power efficient GaN (gallium nitride technology) to provide optimal performance in a space setting, delivering 150 W with a high DC to RF conversion efficiency. Compact in design, they are highly robust; each amplifier underwent rigorous vibration, electromagnetic and vacuum-thermal testing to guarantee their reliability throughout the satellite's useful life, estimated to be 15 years.

SpainSat NG I is the first of two, twin satellites in the SpainSat NG programme, a private-public partnership led by Hisdesat in collaboration with a number of specialist Spanish companies, organisations and universities undertaking very advanced technical work. 

Heralded by Miguel Ángel García Primo, CEO of Hisdesat, as "the most important Spanish satellite in the history of the country", SpainSat NG I will serve the Spanish Ministry of Defence alongside four European NATO countries, providing enhanced communication capabilities across secure government communications, disaster relief and scientific research.

For Celestia TTI, the project is both a major technological milestone and key point in its history, as CEO Cristina Barquín explains, “We have demonstrated our ability to develop and manufacture highly reliable communications equipment for space applications that makes an important contribution to the advancement of the Spanish space industry.

"We are enormously proud to have played a major role in this ambitious project.  Our UHF amplifiers, a new generation of GaN based SSPAs for space missions, have been key to the success of the SpainSat NG programme since without them, there would be no possible transmission.  Not only do they show our commitment to innovation and technological excellence, they also consolidate our position in the Spanish space sector, encouraging us to continue working on projects of strategic importance,” she says.

The satellites SpainSat NG I and SpainSat NG II weigh approximately 6.1 tonnes each and will operate in geostationary orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 km above the earth, providing advanced communications services to a vast area of the world.