OneWeb Satellite constellation (LEO)

Airbus Defense & Space, World’s second largest space company, and OneWeb Satellites have teamed up to design and manufacture up to 900 satellites for the OneWeb constellation, which will provide affordable high-speed Internet access across the globe. The challenge is enormous, since satellites have never been mass produced before. A requirement to produce several small satellites a day has inspired us to develop innovative designs and processes that dramatically lower the cost in large volumes for high performance space applications. We set up an assembly line that is completely different from classic geostationary satellite assembly facilities and we organised a procurement supply chain that is unlike anything the space sector has ever seen before. OneWeb calls for satellites of less than 150kg each that feature fewer electrical connections between subsystems than is typical of traditional communications satellites. With first models manufactured at OneWeb Satellites facility at the Airbus Toulouse site in France, full series production is taking place at OneWeb Satellites new factory in Florida, demonstrating once again the agility of this joint venture.

For the launch services, OneWeb contracted launch operators Arianespace, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin. The launch contract for Arianespace also included three options for Ariane-62 launches. One of these was later converted to a launch contract for 30 satellites on the maiden Ariane-62 flight. Another contract with Virgin Galactic is for 39 launches on LauncherOne air launched rockets, with options for 100 more launches. This contract was reduced in 2018 to only four launches. In March 2017 OneWeb signed an agreement with Blue Origin for five launches of the New Glenn rocket. In December 2018 it was announced, that the initial constellation will be reduced by 33% to 600 satellites due to reportedly better-than-expected ground performance of the demo satellites. The first launch of six prototypes was planned for February 2019. The remaining four prototypes are being used as ground spares in case of a launch failure.

On March 3^rd, 2022 OneWeb suspended all launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and launch operator Arianespace and the Starsem Russian affiliate, suspended the Soyuz launches as the companies rejected steep demands from the Russian space agency Roscosmos, following sanctions from the EU, USA and the UK issued because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

On March 16^th, 2022 the company signed a deal with launch operator SpaceX to resume their satellite launches after its Soyuz launch campaign was suspended due to Russia’s war on Ukraine. The first launch is expected 2nd half of 2022. 

On April 20^th, 2022 OneWeb signed a launch agreement with NewSpace India, Ltd, a subsidiary of ISRO from india for a launch on October 23, 2022 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota, India.

In June 2022 the company signed a launch contract with launch operator Relativity Space to launch satellites in its Gen 2 network on the new Terran R rocket. The launch contract includes a multi-year, multi-launch agreement starting in 2025. 

 In July 2022 OneWeb agreed on a merger with satellite operator Eutelsat with the objective of creating a single, powerful global player in connectivity and to be able to challenge SpaceX’ Starlink. The deal was valued 3.4 billion USD in an all-stock merger. 

On December 8^th, 2022 OneWeb launched another 40 satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket operated by launch operator SpaceX. The rocket was launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.

On January 7^th, 2023 launch operator SpaceX orbited the 16^th batch 40 satellites for OneWeb on a Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket was launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.

Satellite launches

OneWeb Satellite constellation (LEO)

OneWeb launches infographic

Arianespace Soyuz ST29 OneWeb satellites launch

OneWeb Dispenser for satellites

One Web Satellite manufacturing plant in Florida USA

OneWeb satellite in cleanroom at Airbus

OneWeb Satellite manufacturing in Toulouse, France

Soyuz’ Fregat upper stage and the dispenser with 36 OneWeb satellites

OneWeb satellite orbiting Earth

OneWeb Satellite constellation (LEO)