OneWeb successfully launches another 34 satellites
All 34 satellites launched will deliver fast, reliable, enterprise-grade internet to all the hardest to reach communities and locations above 50 Degrees North. (Photo: OneWeb)
OneWeb, which is part-owned by the UK government, has successfully launched another 34 satellites.
OneWeb has confirmed the successful launch of 34 satellites by Arianespace from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, bringing the total in-orbit constellation to 288 satellites.
These satellites will form part of OneWeb’s 648 LEO fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity.
The launch follows the completion of OneWeb’s Five to 50 mission and bodes well for the promise of introduction of commercial service later this year and scale to the global service in 2022.
The 648 LEO fleet promises data throughput up to 195mbps at latency levels less than 50ms.
SATCOM solutions are crucial to providing mission effectiveness even in the most remote environments.
These commercial solutions could form an alternative to the traditional use of dedicated military satellites and are gaining popularity.
In October 2020, the US Space Force Commercial Satellite Communications Office launched a tender for commercial SATCOM solutions that could be leased from industry.
Recently, in March 2021, OneWeb demonstrated its LEO satellite constellation to the US DoD from the US Space Force in Florida.
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace]()
Growing a digital backbone: an essential capability for the multi-domain battlespace
Future operational superiority will be defined by the ability to connect systems, data and personnel into a wider network. For armed forces, this creates the need for a digital backbone that integrates and enhances sensors and effectors of all kinds.
-
![Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat]()
Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat
Estonian-made equipment is being put through the toughest of evaluations in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers resisting the full-scale Russian invasion which began in 2022. The country has long seen the threat and is continuing to adapt for the future.
-
![Estonia boosting defence industry with lessons from Ukraine, says country’s economic minister]()
Estonia boosting defence industry with lessons from Ukraine, says country’s economic minister
Estonia is looking to boost its local defence industry with directed funding, industry parks, support through international orders for equipment and rapid prototyping.
-
![UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens]()
UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens
The UK has recently deployed a Type 45 destroyer to Cyprus and has bolstered its presence in the Middle East in recent weeks with supporting air power to protect neighbouring countries’ air defences.
-
![White House calls on Pentagon contractors to “rapidly and aggressively” boost weapon production]()
White House calls on Pentagon contractors to “rapidly and aggressively” boost weapon production
Intended to sustain Operation Epic Fury against Iran, efforts to increase the production of weapons and ammunition could expose long-standing weaknesses in the US defence industrial base.
-
![India’s strategic defence footprint expansion could be accelerated by Iran-Israel conflict]()
India’s strategic defence footprint expansion could be accelerated by Iran-Israel conflict
The latest escalation between Iran and Israel could shape New Delhi’s next-generation shield as India deepens cooperation with Israel on missile defence and drone production.
