UPDATED 8:39 PM ET Jan. 29, 2025 PUBLISHED 5:29 PM ET Jan. 29, 2025 PUBLISHED 5:29 PM EST Jan. 29, 2025 SHARE It will not be landing on a SpaceX droneship or landing zone. About the mission Built by the Spanish satellite operator and company Hisdesat, the 6.1-ton, 23.6-foot (7.2-meter) tall SpainSat Next Generation I (SNG I) satellite “will provide more cost-effective, scalable and secure communications services to governments and emergency responders in Europe, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and as far as Singapore in Asia,” stated the European Space Agency, which supports the satellite. Once the satellite reaches a geostationary orbit of a mere 22,236 miles (35,786 meters) above the little round Earth, it will conduct testing before going operational. “SpainSat NG represents the next generation of secure satellite communications in Europe. This launch marks a key milestone in delivering more adaptable and secure communications services that will benefit government users across Europe and beyond,” stated Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications, in a press release.