Two decades of satellite engineering from Spain: evolution and specialisation
When NASSAT began its operations in Málaga in 2003, the satellite communications sector was structured around GEO architectures with Ku-band VSAT terminals and return links limited in capacity and latency. Satellite connectivity was a niche service, oriented towards segments with few terrestrial alternatives: maritime, long-haul aeronautical and governmental. Two decades later, the ecosystem has undergone a structural transformation affecting both the access layer and the operating models and service standards demanded by institutional operators. The consolidation of Ka- and V-band LEO constellations has altered the latency parameters and capacity available per terminal, forcing a revision of network management protocols and of the criteria for ground segment dimensioning. In parallel, the introduction of HAPS platforms as an intermediate access node has opened lines of work in persistent area coverage, particularly relevant for mission-critical applications in environments where terrestrial infrastructure is insufficient or vulnerable. These architectures demand integration competencies that go beyond the supply of equipment: they require systems engineering capability, link management and adaptation to heterogeneous regulatory frameworks. In the GNSS domain, the evolution from autonomous code-based positioning to precision services based on PPP-RTK corrections and SSR data has redefined the infrastructure requirements for reference networks and for latency within the correction distribution chain. Centimetre-level accuracy in real time, with certifiable integrity for critical applications, is not an automatic result of having dual-frequency receivers: it depends on the architecture of the augmentation service, the density of the reference network and the management of the regional ionospheric model. These factors place service engineering, and not hardware alone, at the centre of the value proposition. From a European perspective, sustained technical specialisation constitutes the most robust path for operating in a market where large global integrators compete for high-volume deployment contracts. The knowledge accumulated in demanding operational environments, the capacity to adapt solutions to specific institutional requirements and the regulatory proximity to the European Union framework represent differentiating factors that cannot be replicated in the short term. NASSAT has built its position over these two decades on that logic of specialisation, maintaining its focus on segments where technical complexity and service requirements demand precision engineering rather than production scale.
NASSAT - Network Satellite Systems