OneWeb Confirms Contact With All 36 Satellites

OneWeb has confirmed the latest successful launch of 36 satellites by Arianespace from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. This launch brings OneWeb a step closer to completing its 'Five to 50' ambition and the possible start of commercial service by the end of the year.

Liftoff occurred on 28 May at 18:38 BST. OneWeb's satellites separated from the rocket and were dispensed in nine batches over a period of 3 hours 52 minutes with signal acquisition on all 36 satellites confirmed.

This latest successful launch brings OneWeb's total in-orbit constellation to 218 satellites -- though the SpaceX program has confirmed over 1300. These will eventually form part of OneWeb's 648 LEO satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity. OneWeb claims that there is now only one launch to go until the company has the satellites required to enable its connectivity solution to reach all regions north of 50 degrees latitude by June 2021.

OneWeb's satellites are built by OneWeb Satellites, a OneWeb and Airbus joint venture facility on Merritt Island, Florida that can produce two satellites a day with its production-line process.

This launch represents the fourth in a five-launch program to fulfill the 'Five to 50' service, enabling OneWeb to offer connectivity across the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic Seas and Canada. This service is expected to be switched on before the end of the year and OneWeb intends to make global service available in 2022.

FMI: www.oneweb.world