Spotlight: The Argentine satellite market

Argentina is one of the few countries in the world that manufactures satellites and has the most satellites in orbit in Latin America, counting earth observation, scientific and telecommunications units.

The country has much experience in satellite development in the scientific field and began the international commercialization of its Saocom mission satellites.

In addition, it has two geostationary satellites for telecommunications and a third under construction.

The satellite plan also includes the construction of a launcher, the Tronador II and III, a project carried out by Argentine company Veng.

According to data from consulting firm Euroconsult shared at the Latsat 2023 event, the satellite segment will be worth US$40bn by 2027 in Latin America, with Argentina and Brazil as the main players in the sector.

BNamericas takes a look at the state of the Argentine satellite market.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

State company Arsat operates the Arsat-1 and Arsat-2 geostationary satellites. Launched in 2014 and 2015, respectively, they operate in the Ku band and are at around 95% capacity.

Argentine company Invap is building a third satellite, the Arsat SG-1, which is expected to be put into orbit by 2025 and will have Ka band capability to provide services for higher capacity broadband.

A fourth geostationary unit, SG-2, will replace SG-1. Its launch is scheduled for 2027.

Arsat provides services for US$1mn a month in the US, Mexico, Venezuela, Canada and Chile.

The company also has agreements with other satellite firms. During the Latsat event, CEO Facundo Leal told BNamericas that he is preparing an agreement with Hughes to use part of the capacity of the new Jupiter 3 satellite.

The company also has an agreement with SES for the use of its SES-17 satellite.

In addition, Arsat provides capacity for satellite broadband company Orbith and has an agreement with Globalsat, a satellite solutions company that seeks to grow its IoT business hand-in-hand with Arsat.

SCIENTIFIC AND EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES

The national commission for space activities, Conae, carried out four satellite missions of the SAC series for technological, earth observation and astrophysics purposes, which have already fulfilled their mission.

The SAOCOM 1 series is now in orbit, consisting of SAOCOM 1, launched in 2018 and SAOCOM 1B, launched in 2020, with L-band radars.

Its objective is to generate useful information to prevent, monitor, mitigate and evaluate natural or anthropic catastrophes and generate data on soil moisture, with benefits for national productive activity, among others.

The satellites were built in Argentina by local companies CNEA, Veng and Invap. Veng is also in charge of the operation and marketing of SAOCOM satellites.

Argentina recently began exporting satellite images from the SAOCOM constellation to India, as well as the US and China, among others.

For 2024, the SABIA-Mar mission is expected to be put into orbit, dedicated to earth observation with applications for the sea, coasts and estuaries.

The satellite plan also contemplates a new series of light satellites for earth observation (SARE) and a program for the development of a new generation of satellites and instruments.

IoT

Argentina also has several IoT satellite projects underway, taking advantage of funding from programs from the production ministry.

The professional council of telecommunications, electronics and computing engineering (Copitec), the Universidad de Palermo and the foundation for the development of telecommunications, electronics and computing (Fundetec) announced last year a constellation project of 100 satellites for IoT, in addition to the installation of a space laboratory.

After some problems with imports, the project reconsidered strategies and activated the development with local suppliers.

As BNamericas learned, the design of the system is ready and the software for the subsystems and hardware are being developed. Once this stage is complete, the software and applications testing process will begin, which could be ready late 2023 or in the first half of 2024.

The launch is scheduled for the second half of 2024, which will be carried out by SpaceX.

Another Argentine company, Innova Space, launched the first Argentine picosatellite for IoT services at the beginning of 2022 and another two were launched at the beginning of the year. The launch of new picosatellites is expected this year with the aim of advancing in the constellation.

EARTH STATIONS

Arsat has an earth station in Benavídez, north of Buenos Aires.

In 2022, the company signed an agreement with Mendoza province for installing a station in one of its industrial parks and announced an investment of US$70mn over four years for the construction of a headquarters in the technological park of Río Negro, where it will set up a datacenter and a satellite gateway.

Meanwhile, Conae has Earth stations in Córdoba and Tierra del Fuego and is advancing the construction of a new one in Antarctica, where it already has a presence.

In addition, Conae has space centers in Córdoba, in the province of Buenos Aires (Punta Indio and Bahía Blanca), and one deep space station in Mendoza and one in Neuquén.