The Argentine Army will launch its first military nanosatellite with a SpaceX rocket

The Argentina of Javier Milei consolidates a historic milestone in its national defense and independent space development. The engineers of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Research for Defense (CITEDEF, historically known as CITEFA) have successfully completed the development and testing of the first nanosatellite intended for the Argentine Army.

This device, named ETNS (satellite technology evaluator), awaits its imminent launch into outer space scheduled for the end of October aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the renowned private corporation SpaceX, as part of the Transponder Mission 18.

This bold private and state initiative demonstrates that, under the new era of the government of Javier Milei, the Armed Forces are modernizing with an agile, pragmatic, and fiscally efficient approach, far from the pharaonic and unproductive state projects.

Far from the commercial and industrial waste that characterized previous administrations, this satellite was designed under a premise of strict austerity and market innovation.

According to engineer Cristian Bruña, “it makes no sense to put something expensive from a commercial point of view into orbit for it to be in orbit for just a few years. These CUBESAT technologies use COTS components that are commonly found in electronics stores”.

The ETNS is not simply a device in space; it is defined by its creators as a key technology demonstrator. The central objective is to affirm that Argentina has the sovereign capabilities to design, build, integrate, and operate its own space systems, laying the foundations for future dual-use (civil and military) developments for the Armed Forces without compromising public funds.

The project, which managed to survive state bureaucracy since its inception in 2016 under the Research and Development Program for Defense (PIDDEF) of the Ministry of Defense, was developed completely independently of the guidelines of the traditional state corporation CONAE, which was simultaneously coordinating the 2021-2023 space plan.

The definitive push for the project occurred thanks to a direct financing agreement with the Argentine Army. Engineer Carlos Longo recounts how, after a forced interval due to the pandemic, the Force learned about the project and “agreed to finance the launch”.

In this regard, the General Directorate of Communications, Informatics, and Cyber Defense of the Army intervened and financed the final stage of the initiative.

To place the payload in orbit, a specialized firm based in Spain was pragmatically contracted, providing a deployer (container for satellites of the CubeSat standard of 10 by 10 centimeters) that reserved the spot on the Falcon 9 vector from SpaceX.

The mission encompasses a series of subsystems that reflect a constellation of advanced scientific disciplines converging at CITEDEF: electronics, algorithms, and software. Engineer Alejandro Turel details that the overall program includes:

A ground station for communication.

A sophisticated laser link system.

A liberated GPS capable of operating at extreme heights and temperatures.

The nanosatellite itself (the work of engineer Carlos Longo).

An antenna development carried out in collaboration with the University of Palermo and COPITEC.

Furthermore, the device will orbit in a LEO (Low Earth Orbit) at an altitude of between 500 and 600 kilometers. Its advanced CubeSat design allows it to detect if it experiences sharp or gentle tumbles to correct its attitude and stabilize, keeping its antennas rigidly focused towards the ground.

In terms of energy, the satellite has an internal battery that is recharged using high-efficiency solar panels, assisted in their design by the creators of the panels for the Atenea mission.

The solar cells, developed in collaboration with experts from the National Atomic Energy Commission, incorporate multiple layers capable of absorbing non-visible radiation (ultraviolet and infrared), achieving superb energy efficiency close to 30%, almost double the 16% or 17% offered by conventional domestic panels.

In terms of communications, the satellite completes an Earth orbit every 90 minutes. However, the window for direct communication with the national ground station is reduced to brief intervals of about 13 minutes per pass, occurring two to three times a day.

To overcome this physical restriction, the project employs a global collaborative network called SatNOGS, allowing the collection of telemetry data through stations distributed around the globe. Additionally, the Argentine Army has the capability to apply quantum encryption or encrypt the messages emitted by the nanosatellite, ensuring the strict military confidentiality of the transmitted data.

The scientists at CITEDEF faced the challenge of training in an area previously foreign to the institution, always prioritizing system reliability over unnecessary sophistication.

“The mission is modest because it has always sought to verify the system and master the technology to then move on to more concrete developments”, states engineer Carlos Longo.

However, the risks of the space adventure are not hidden. Expert Cristian Arrieta warns that “Putting an object in space is difficult. The risk is permanent”, firmly adding that “All the effort makes sense as long as it continues. There has to be knowledge transfer. That’s what we’re also working on”.

This scientific project marks the beginning of a new era of sovereignty and technological efficiency in defense. In the words of engineer Alejandro Turel, “This is the starting point for development. From here on, everything will start to open up”, with a view to transferring this valuable know-how to the rest of the Armed Forces to capitalize on it for concrete strategic communication needs.