Airbus Defence and Space has been contracted to develop and construct two PAZ-2 radar satellites to strengthen Spain’s space capability.
The contract for new satellites came as current PAZ satellite, operational since 2018, has already exceeded its life expectancy of five and a half years.
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According to Airbus, the PAZ-2 satellites will deliver better image quality and resolution, than their predecessor, achieving clarity of less than 25cm.
These satellites will expand coverage capabilities to 6.7 million km2 each day, completing 16 orbits around Earth daily.
These enhancements are set to strengthen the Spanish Armed Forces’ intelligence and surveillance operations.
Additionally, they will serve civilian functions such as monitoring infrastructure, managing risks, controlling borders, and evaluating disasters by providing consistent radar imagery regardless of time or weather conditions.
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By GlobalDataAirbus Space Systems head Alain Fauré said: “In the current geopolitical context, with the PAZ-2 satellites, Airbus reaffirms its commitment to strengthening technological sovereignty in security and defence, as well as its leadership in the national and European space sector.”
As the prime contractor, Airbus is tasked with the design, assembly, and testing of the PAZ-2 satellites at its Getafe site in Spain.
The company will leverage its know-how in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology that offers very high resolution and extensive area coverage.
This effort will be supported by a consortium comprising more than 15 Spanish companies.
The initial PAZ-2 satellite is scheduled to become operational by mid-2031.
Hisdesat, which spearheaded the PAZ programme for the Spanish Ministry of Defence alongside Airbus, will jointly continue to lead in providing X-band radar services.
The programme is a significant achievement for Spain’s space industry as approximately 65% of the satellite components will be developed domestically under Airbus’s leadership.
Hisdesat reports that the existing PAZ satellite covers more than 300,000km² daily while orbiting Earth 15 times at an altitude of 514km.
The satellite has the capacity to capture over 100 images per day with resolutions up to 25cm, functioning day or night and under all weather conditions.
