OneWeb sends up 36 internet satellites from Russia
ONEWEB launched 36 satellites into orbit from a cosmodrome in the far east of Russia last Thursday (25) as part of the satellite firm’s plans to deliver global high-speed internet access.
OneWeb, a London-headquartered company, is working to complete the construction of a constellation of low earth orbit satellites providing enhanced broadband and other services to countries around the world. The launch, carried out by Arianespace from the Vostochny cosmodrome, brought the number of in-orbit satellites to 146, part of a fleet designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity, the satellite operator said.
OneWeb said this was the second in a five-launch programme that will enable its connectivity to reach all regions north of 50 degrees latitude by the middle of 2021.
“These services will cover the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe,
Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic Seas and Canada, and will be switched on before the end of the year,” it said.
“OneWeb then intends to make global services available in 2022,” it added.
OneWeb resumed flights in December after emerging from bankruptcy protection with $1 billion (£0.7bn) in equity investment from a consortium of the British government and India’s Bharti Enterprises, its new owners.
The UK company plans for its global commercial internet service to be operational by next year, supported by some 650 satellites.
The Roscosmos space agency said in a statement that the launch and separation “took place normally”.
“We can confirm our sixth separation is complete. Over half our satellites have now been released!” OneWeb company wrote on Twitter.