- The launch will increase connection frequency and service capacity
- SpaceX will launch Sateliot’s five satellites aboard Transporter-18 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, with liftoff scheduled at 8:18 p.m. in Spain
Barcelona, 29 September 2026.– Sateliot, the European satellite telecommunications operator, plans to launch five new satellites with SpaceX this Thursday to expand the capacity of its 5G NTN IoT network and increase connection frequency in areas without terrestrial mobile coverage. With this mission, named Draconis, the company will bring the total number of satellites launched since its foundation to eleven and take a further step in the commercial deployment of a technology that has already been successfully validated.
The launch will reduce the time between satellite passes and increase the number of connection opportunities available to devices. On average, the number of daily passes will double, while revisit time will be halved. The five new satellites also incorporate technological improvements over the four units launched in 2024, including an optimized payload and a more reliable and efficient system for storing data on board.
The new satellites also feature upgraded versions of the onboard computer and attitude control system, providing greater stability and enabling more efficient in-orbit manoeuvres, as well as memory systems with enhanced resistance to the harsh conditions of the space environment, particularly radiation.
These five units, which will orbit at an altitude of 510 km, incorporate the connectivity technology developed by Sateliot for its 5G NTN IoT network and have been manufactured by Alén Space. Each satellite measures 20 x 10 x 35 centimetres, weighs 10 kilograms and has an expected operational lifetime of five years.. The maturity of the platform has enabled the satellites to be designed and manufactured in half the time required for the previous mission.
The satellites operate as telecommunications towers in space, extending mobile operators’ coverage through wholesale agreements and enabling them to provide Internet of Things services in areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks.
Exolaunch has been responsible for mission integration and logistics. The satellites will be launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Californi, with liftoff scheduled for October 1 at 8:18 p.m. in Spain, subject to possible last-minute changes. The constellation’s ground segment also includes KSAT and Leaf Space as technology partners for tracking and control stations, while Comfone provides IPX connectivity services to enable the secure interconnection of Sateliot’s network with mobile operators.
The next generation
The five new satellites form part of a single constellation of more than 500 satellites that will evolve through successive technological generations, progressing from massive IoT towards higher-capacity and mission-critical services, including D2D capabilities.
From 2027, Tritó will mark the beginning of this technological evolution, incorporating 5G NR NTN technology and new capabilities for secure, higher-capacity and resilient IoT communications, supported by an innovative store-and-forward technology based on 3GPP Release 19. Tritó will also feature an advanced multibeam digital antenna architecture with phased-array technology, capable of dynamically generating and managing multiple coverage beams.
This roadmap also includes the previously announced agreement with PLD Space for a dedicated mission aboard MIURA 5, which will enable Sateliot to continue advancing the Tritó ecosystem towards new D2D capabilities.
In parallel, Sateliot is working on a €100 million Series C funding round aimed at accelerating the deployment of its next technological generation, advancing the company’s industrialization and scaling new capabilities. To date, the company has raised approximately €100 million and expects to reach €500 million in revenue by 2030.
According to Jaume Sanpera, CEO and co-founder of Sateliot, “The Draconis mission reflects very clearly where the company stands today. We have validated the technology, and we are now increasing capacity and service frequency to scale the service together with mobile operators. Our goal is to make satellite connectivity a natural extension of their networks wherever terrestrial coverage cannot reach and, on that same standardized and interoperable 5G infrastructure, evolve towards increasingly critical and resilient services. We are building a European telecommunications infrastructure based on proprietary technology and the 3GPP standard, with global ambitions.”
About Sateliot
Sateliot is a European satellite telecommunications company headquartered in Barcelona and founded in 2018. It has deployed the first LEO satellite constellation based on the 3GPP standard (Release 17 NTN), enabling standard commercial NB-IoT NTN devices to connect directly from space with intermittent coverage through an innovative store-and-forward system.
Its technology seamlessly integrates terrestrial and satellite networks to provide affordable 5G IoT connectivity wherever conventional infrastructure cannot reach, while evolving towards real-time 5G NR D2D access.
As a strategic player in European digital sovereignty, Sateliot is driving secure and accessible connectivity and plans to launch its next-generation Tritó satellites in 2027, pioneering 5G NR D2D connectivity from space to bridge coverage gaps and democratize connectivity for dual-use applications worldwide.
