SpaceX launches Spanish military satellite after 1-day delay

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Oct 23, 2025

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SpaceX had to wait a day, but on Thursday night managed the second launch this year of a communications satellite for the Spanish military.

A Falcon 9 on the SpainSat NG II mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:30 p.m. A planned Wednesday attempt was called off for reasons SpaceX did not announce.

The first-stage booster for the mission made its 22nd flight, but did not have a return landing as it needed more power to send the satellite to its geosynchronous transfer orbit.

The booster has previously flown the NASA CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, SES O3b mPOWER-C, Ovzon-3, Eutelsat 26D, Turksat 6A, Maxar 2, SXM-9 and 12 Starlink missions.

It was one of several boosters with more than 20 missions under its belt. The fleet-leader just launched earlier this week on its 31st flight, making a successful recovery landing.

The company has managed more than 500 Falcon 9 booster landings since the first success in 2015 with boosters now cleared to launch up to 40 times.

SpaceX launched the SpainSat NG I mission in January. The NG stands for next generation.

“With cutting-edge civil and military technology, it strengthens secure defense communications and consolidates Spain’s technological sovereignty,” said a post on X from the Spanish Ministry of Defense, which has promoted the satellite system as part of its commitment to NATO.

The satellites were constructed by Airbus, which touts them as “a constellation of satellites providing military grade secure communications to the Spanish Armed Forces and its partners.”

The launch marked the 87th orbital mission from all Space Coast pads with SpaceX responsible for all but five.

SpaceX has two more Florida launches lined up from Cape Canaveral before the end of the month. United Launch Alliance, which has flown four missions so far this year, has its next mission, an Atlas V rocket launching a commercial satellite slated for Nov. 3.

Blue Origin, which flew its debut New Glenn launch in January, is prepped for its next launch as well on a mission for NASA to send a pair of satellites to Mars. That launch could be in early November as well.

The three launch service providers could combine to break 2024’s record 93 launches by mid-November, and likely well on the way to pass 100 launches for the year.

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