Forty OneWeb satellites mounted on a dispenser before encapsulation inside a SpaceX payload fairing Credit: OneWeb
Forty OneWeb satellites mounted on a dispenser before encapsulation inside a SpaceX payload fairing on a Falcon 9 rocket that was launched on December 8th 2022.
The mission was the first of three dedicated Falcon 9 launches that satellite operator OneWeb booked in March 2022, shortly after an agreement with launch operator Arianespace to complete its constellation with Russian Soyuz rockets. Launches with the Soyuz rockets were suspended amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The Forty OneWeb satellites will take about 100 days for OneWeb’s latest batch of satellites to reach their final LEO destinations and to begin services.
OneWeb satellite operator is a global communications company formerly known as WorldVu Satellites, Ltd. The company was formed by Greg Wyler and was originally a planned satellite constellation consisting of 648 microsatellites to provide worldwide Internet access for on individual consumers and airlines.
OneWeb’s mission was to enable affordable Internet access for everyone, connect every school on Earth and bridge the digital divide by 2027. OneWeb is building a communications network with a constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, operating at 750 miles (1,200km) altitude, that will provide connectivity to billions of people around the world.