Hispasat

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Spanish satellite operator

title: "Hispasat" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communications-satellite-operators", "direct-broadcast-satellite-services", "free-to-air", "space-program-of-spain"] description: "Spanish satellite operator" topic_path: "geography/spain" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispasat" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Spanish satellite operator ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameHispasat
logoHispasat logo 2022.svg
typeSociedad Anónima
mottoAcercando culturas (Bringing cultures closer together) --
foundation1989
hq_locationMadrid, Spain
key_peoplePedro Duque, Chairperson
industrySpace, communications
productsInternet, television, radio and mobile service
revenuemillion (2012)
num_employees176
parentIndra Sistemas
subsid{{Plainlist
homepage
::

| name = Hispasat | logo = Hispasat logo 2022.svg | image =

| trading_name = | type = Sociedad Anónima | motto = Acercando culturas (Bringing cultures closer together) -- | foundation = 1989 | hq_location = Madrid, Spain | hq_location_city =

| key_people = Pedro Duque, Chairperson | industry = Space, communications | products = Internet, television, radio and mobile service | revenue = million (2012) | num_employees = 176 | parent = Indra Sistemas | subsid = {{Plainlist|

  • Hispasat Brasil
  • Hispamar Satélites
  • Hispasat Canarias | homepage = | footnotes =

Hispasat is the operating company for a number of Spanish communications satellites that cover the Americas, Europe and North Africa from orbital positions 30.0° West and 61.0° West. It was formed in 1989 and its activities include provision of communication services in the commercial and government sectors (corporate networks, advanced telecommunications services, telephony, videoconferencing, etc.). Hispasat's fleet of satellites broadcast more than 1250 television channels and radio stations to more than 30 million homes, as well as providing services such as broadband to mobile telephones and landlines.

The first Hispasat satellite sent into orbit was Hispasat 1A, which was launched on 11 September 1992 on board an Ariane 4 launch vehicle from the Centre Spatial Guyanais near Kourou in French Guiana. It was put into geostationary orbit at 30° West, which is the location of all their subsequent satellites serving Spain and Europe.

Amazonas 2 The Amazonas satellites (61° West) were inaugurated in 2004 with the launch of Amazonas 1, which served the American market (mainly Latin America). Amazonas 2 was launched on 1 October 2009 and Amazonas 3 on 7 February 2013 replacing Amazonas 1, which was moved to a new position at 36° West in September 2013. Amazonas 4A was launched on 22 March 2014. A fifth generation of this satellite series, Amazonas 5, was launched on 11 September 2017.

Corporate structure and shareholders

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/LOGO_color_sin_lema_fondo_negro_2.JPG" caption="Second and former Hispasat logo, used from 2001 until May 2017"] ::

The Hispasat Group is formed of Hispasat S.A., its subsidiaries Hispasat Canarias, Hispamar Satellites (a joint venture with the Brazilian telephone operator Oi), Hispasat Brazil and associated companies Galileo Systems and Services.

The range of Hispasat shareholders demonstrates the company's strategic nature both for the government and the Spanish telecommunications market. In 2012, Hispasat's shareholders included representatives from the Spanish public sector, State Industrial Holding Company (SEPI) with 7.41%, and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) with 1.85%, and Abertis, a group that specialises in the management of telecommunication's infrastructure and services, with 90.74%.

On 21 February 2012, the press were informed that Telefónica would sell Abertis its shares in Hispasat, and the Spanish government authorised the sale in December 2012.

Abertis bought 16.42% of Hispasat from the Spanish Ministry of Defence on 25 July 2013, taking its stake in the company to 57.05% – with France's Eutelsat holding 33.69%, Spain's SEPI 7.41% and the country's Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology 1.85%. Abertis sold its stake in Hispasat to Red Eléctrica de España, in February 2019. In early 2025, Red Electrica sold all its shares to Indra Sistemas.

::data[format=table]

ShareholderCapitalShareholderCapital
Indra Sistemas89.68%
Spanish government10.32%SEPI7.41%
CDTI2.91%
::

Satellites

Launched satellites

Source: Hispasat official web site. ::data[format=table]

NameLaunch dateUseConstructorLaunch systemOrbital positionTranspondersCoverage
Hispasat 1A11 September 1992Digital television and government-military communicationsMatra Marconi SpaceAriane 4End of lifetime reached in 2003.
Hispasat 1B22 July 1993Digital television and government-military communicationsMatra Marconi SpaceAriane 4End of lifetime reached in 2003, although some transponders were active until June 2006.
url=https://www.n2yo.com//satellite/?s=26071title=Technical details for satellite HISPASAT 1Cwebsite=N2YO.com - Real Time Satellite Tracking and Predictions}}3 February 2000Digital television and radio services as well as VSAT networksAlcatel SpaceAtlas 2AS, based on a Spacebus 3000B2 platformEnd of lifetime reached in 2017.
Hispasat 1D18 September 2002Replacing Hispasat 1A and 1B for non-military usesAlcatel SpaceAtlas 2AS Centaur143° West28 Ku band transpondersEurope, North Africa, America
url=http://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=28393title = Satbeams - World of Satellites at your fingertips}}5 August 2004Civil-communicationsAstriumProton-M61° West (Re-positioned to 36° West)32 Ku band transponders and 27 C band transponders
url=https://www.n2yo.com//satellite/?s=35942title=Technical details for satellite AMAZONAS 2website=N2YO.com - Real Time Satellite Tracking and Predictions}}1 October 2009Civil-communicationsEADS AstriumAriane 561° West
url=https://www.n2yo.com//satellite/?s=37264title=Technical details for satellite HISPASAT 1Ewebsite=N2YO.com - Real Time Satellite Tracking and Predictions}}29 December 2010Civil-communicationsSpace Systems/LoralAriane 530° West
url=https://www.n2yo.com//satellite/?s=39078title=Technical details for satellite AMAZONAS 3website=N2YO.com - Real Time Satellite Tracking and Predictions}}7 February 2013Civil-communicationsSpace Systems/LoralAriane 561° West
Amazonas 4A22 March 2014Civil-CommunicationsOrbital Sciences CorporationAriane 561° West24 Ku band transpondersurl=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1404/17amazonas4a/
Hispasat AG128 January 2017Civil-communicationsOHB-SystemSoyuz ST-B36° West24 Ku band transponders and 3 Ka band transpondersEurope, North Africa and America
Amazonas 511 September 2017Civil-communicationsSpace Systems/LoralProton-M61° West24 Ku band transponders and 34 Ka band spot beamsLatin America
Hispasat 1F
6 March 2018 This satellite replaced Hispasat 1DCivil-communicationsSpace Systems/LoralFalcon 9 Block 430° West30 Ku band, 10 C band and 7 Ka beamsEurope, North Africa, America
Amazonas Nexus7 February 2023Civil-communicationsThales Alenia SpaceFalcon 9 Block 561° West
::

Cancelled satellites

::data[format=table]

NameCommentUseOrbital position / Transponders / Coverage
Amazonas 4BThe project was cancelled in the wake of the power problems of Amazonas 4A. It was replaced by Amazonas 5Civil-communications / Orbital Sciences Corporation / ?61° west / ? / America
HisNorSatInitially scheduled for launch in 2014, the project was suspended in September 2012Military use, resulting from a collaboration agreement between Spain and Norway– / 40 Ka and X band transponders / From Australia to America
::

R+D+I projects

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Ccsarganda.jpg" caption="Antennas at Hispasat's Satellite Control Centre in Arganda del Rey (Madrid)."] ::

Ignis: The IGNIS project (integral communications system for the control of forest fires) is part of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation's Innpacto project. It was launched in September 2011 with the main objective of developing short-term solutions to improve the telecommunications used while fighting forest fires.

Saturno: Hispasat is coordinating the SATURNO Project (SATellite Universal Redistribution NetwOrk). SATURNO is a tractor project, included within the Spanish government's 2010 Plan Avanza for R+D Competitiveness, the plan's main objective is to investigate innovative solutions for content distribution via satellites in the digital home to maximise use of existing infrastructure and develop necessary equipment and systems. Solutions developed as part of SATURNO are based on the use of high-speed IP technologies and the reuse of domestic cabling.

Jedi: The JEDI project (Just Exploring DImensions) started in 2010 with the objective of improving knowledge regarding the different formats and technologies related to 3D TV and how it will evolve and develop for consumers. JEDI is part of a European research project, ITEA 2, which forms part of the European EUREKA initiatives. Hispasat participates in the European JEDI consortium and is also a partner in the Spanish JEDI consortium collaborating on research and development projects under the aegis of Plan Avanza.

Phidias: PHIDIAS (Hybrid Platform for the Intelligent Diffusion of Applications and Services for Television) is an Avanza Plan project. Its objective is the development of an integrated platform for hybrid broadcast broadband television (HbbTV) that combines the broadcast and broadband delivery of television through the Internet. The aim is to investigate different alternatives for technological solutions for HbbTV by developing specific applications (social networks, personalised advertising, interactive applications etc.). The ultimate objective is to produce a working model for both terrestrial and satellite television.

Intogener: Hispasat participates in the INTOGENER Project to design a system to more precisely measure the flow of water in mountain watersheds with the objective of making the generation of hydroelectric power more efficient and sustainable. The project started in May 2012 and will be carried out in the Chilean Andes for a period of two years with a budget of over a million euros, with 50% of the budget coming from the European Space Agency (ESA). Other collaborators include Starlab, as the project's coordinator, Endesa Chile, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the consultancy Future Water, which will provide the remaining 50% of the project's budget.

References

References

  1. "Hispasat".
  2. "Hispasat".
  3. [http://www.hispasat.com/Detail.aspx?SectionsId=81&lang=es Informes anuales de Hispasat]
  4. (8 February 2013). "Hispasat lanza su décimo satélite, Amazonas 3". Europa Press.
  5. Spacenews: [https://archive.today/20131030093533/http://www.spacenews.com/article/satellite-telecom/34825amazonas-1-repositioned-to-inaugurate-new-slot Amazonas 1 Repositioned To Inaugurate New Slot]
  6. "Amazonas 5".
  7. Hispasat. "Accionistas de hispasat".
  8. (21 February 2012). "Telefónica vende a Abertis su participación del 13,23% en Hispasat por 124 millones". La Razón.
  9. (25 July 2013). "Abertis compra el 16,42% de Hispasat a Defensa y toma el control de la compañía". El Mundo.
  10. (2025-01-31). "Indra compra a Redeia el 89,68% de Hispasat por 725 millones".
  11. "Maps showing coverage of Hispasat satellites on their corporate website".
  12. "Technical details for satellite HISPASAT 1A".
  13. NASA: [https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1992-060A Hispasat 1A] {{PD-notice}}
  14. "Technical details for satellite HISPASAT 1B".
  15. NASA: [https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1993-048A Hispasat 1B] {{PD-notice}}
  16. "Technical details for satellite HISPASAT 1C".
  17. NASA: [https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2000-007A Hispasat 1C] {{PD-notice}}
  18. NASA: [https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2002-044A Hispasat 1 D] {{PD-notice}}
  19. "Satbeams - World of Satellites at your fingertips".
  20. "Technical details for satellite AMAZONAS 2".
  21. "Satbeams - World of Satellites at your fingertips".
  22. (8 June 2007). "Astrium Wins Hispasat Contract To Build Amazonas-2 Satellite". SpaceDaily.
  23. (1 October 2009). "Another Arianespace launch success and a new commercial record for Ariane 5". Arianespace.
  24. "Technical details for satellite HISPASAT 1E".
  25. NASA: [https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2010-070A Hispasat 1E]
  26. "Technical details for satellite AMAZONAS 3".
  27. "Satbeams - World of Satellites at your fingertips".
  28. [http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Loral_To_Provide_Powerful_ComSat_To_HISPASAT_999.html Amazonas-3 will be built by Space Systems/Loral] ? Space Daily
  29. Stephen Clark. (17 April 2014). "Power system failure detected on Amazonas 4A". Spaceflight Now.
  30. (11 September 2017). "Proton-M Launches from Baikonur with Amazonas 5 Telecom Satellite".
  31. Hispasat: [http://www.hispasat.com/en/satellite-fleet/future-satellites/amazonas-5 Amazonas 5]
  32. (23 December 2017). "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight now.
  33. "Hispasat 30W-6 (Hispasat 1F)".
  34. [http://spacenews.com/spacex-and-customers-defend-falcon-9-performance-after-zuma-mission/ SpaceX and customers defend Falcon 9 performance after Zuma mission]. Jett Foust, ''Space.com''. 17 January 2017.
  35. (5 January 2023). "Rocket Launch Viewing Guide for Cape Canaveral".
  36. "Amazonas Nexus".
  37. "Amazonas 4B".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

communications-satellite-operatorsdirect-broadcast-satellite-servicesfree-to-airspace-program-of-spain