ARTES benefits series – Pacis 3, Advancing Secure Government Communications • Nov 2025
The European Space Agency’s
Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme helps turn
innovative concepts into commercial reality with its Partnership Projects
focusing on developing new sustainable end-to-end systems, up to in-orbit validation.
Pacis 3, an ESA Partnership Project, is a prime example of how this approach
delivers technological breakthroughs with strategic importance for Europe.
Pacis 3 has developed advanced
reconfigurable X-band active antennas and deployable, steerable Ka-band
antennas for secure communications. These payloads are designed to adapt
coverage and capacity in real time, supporting governmental, defence, and crisis-management
operations. The technologies will be integrated into the satellites of the SpainSat
Next Generation (SpainSat NG), a programme led by Hisdesat, providing Europe
with sovereign, highly flexible communications capability.
ESA’s role in Pacis 3 was to
bring together Airbus and Thales Alenia Space in Spain and France, the Spanish
Space Agency, and a wide industrial consortium. Around €60 million in ESA
funding through the ARTES Partnership Project’s shared-risk model, enabled the
accelerated development and testing of complex antenna systems. ESA’s technical
guidance and close cooperation with partners removed key risks, allowing the
technology to be ready for integration into the SpainSat NG satellites within
demanding timelines.
The results are already tangible:
·
All SpainSat NG capacity sold before launch
·
Successful launch of SpainSat NG I on 30 January
2025
·
In-orbit demonstrations of Pacis 3 technology
expected in 2025
·
More than 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs
supported over five years
·
Enhanced industrial capability in Spain and
across Europe, consolidating leadership in secure satellite communications
Pacis 3 has been described by its
partners as a “true partnership” between ESA, national agencies, and industry.
By delivering world-class antenna technology for a flagship governmental
mission, it strengthens Europe’s security, autonomy, and competitiveness in the
global satcom market. ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications,
Laurent Jaffart, noted, the Pacis 3 system “provides coverage across key
government and defence markets… enabling new bilateral partnership
opportunities.”
With SpainSat NG II set to follow
later in 2025, Pacis 3 is ensuring that Europe’s governmental communications
remain secure, flexible, and future-proof.
Explore the full portfolio of ARTES case studies to see how ESA is enabling innovation, competitiveness, and socio-economic benefits across Europe’s space sector.
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