Hispasat


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. 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 rocket from the Centre Spatial Guyanais near Kourou in French Guiana. It was put into geostationary orbit at 30.0° West, which is the location of all their subsequent satellites serving Spain and Europe.
The Amazonas satellites were inaugurated in 2004 with the launch of Amazonas 1, which serves the American market. 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 36.0° 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

The Hispasat Group is formed of Hispasat SA, its subsidiaries Hispasat Canarias, Hispamar Satellites, Hispasat Brazil and associated companies Hisdesat Strategic Services and 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 with 7.41%, and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology with 1.85%, and Abertis, a group that specializes 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 authorized 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.
ShareholderCapitalShareholderCapital
Red Eléctrica de España90.74%
Spanish government9.26%SEPI7.41%
Spanish government9.26%CDTI1.85%

Hisdesat Strategic Services

Hisdesat is a Spanish company created in 2001 by Hispasat, Ingeniería y Servicios Aeroespaciales, EADS CASA, Indra Sistemas and SENER with initial investment of 415 million euros.
Satellites:

Launched satellites

Source: Hispasat official web site.

Satellites under construction

NamePredicted launch yearUse / Constructor / Launched byOrbital position / Transponders / Coverage
Ingenio24 August 2020Military use / Astrium Spain / ?SSO / Optical instruments / Worldwide

Cancelled satellites

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

Ignis: The IGNIS project 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. 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 in order 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 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 is an Avanza Plan project. Its objective is the development of an integrated platform for hybrid broadcast broadband television 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. 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. 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.