OneWeb signs up to use ISRO services

ONEWEB, backed by India’s Bharti Enterprises, said on Monday (11) it has entered an arrangement with Indian space agency ISRO to launch its satellite from the country from 2022.

A statement said the arrangement has been made through a letter of intent (LOI) with ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) to use the Indian infrastructure as potential platforms to launch OneWeb’s satellites from 2022. India uses its domestically-built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the heavier GSLV-MkIII (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) to send satellites into orbit.

The non-binding letter of intent was unveiled at the launch of the Indian Space Association (ISpA) in the presence of prime minister Narendra Modi, it said.

OneWeb is among the founding members of ISpA, which “strives to be the collective voice of space and satellite firms in India”.

It plans to start services this year in the Arctic region and in the second half of 2022 in India. “By late 2022, OneWeb will offer its high-speed, low latency connectivity services in India and the rest of the world. Service testing on the satellites already in orbit is underway. OneWeb and NSIL will expeditiously convert the LOI into a binding agreement after obtaining all necessary approvals from their respective boards,” the statement said.

OneWeb chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal (above) said ISRO has built formidable launch capabilities and India is part of the select group of countries to have a history of successful launches.