OneWeb’s 36 satellites arrive in India ahead of launch

London: OneWeb, an India-UK joint venture satellite communications company, on Tuesday announced the arrival of 36 satellites at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in advance of a planned launch from Sriharikota.

With this launch, OneWeb will have over 70 per cent of its planned Gen 1 LEO constellation in orbit as it progresses to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity services around the world.

“OneWeb’s dedication to industry collaboration has allowed us to successfully navigate the ever-changing global environment and prepare for yet another milestone launch,” Neil Masterson, CEO, OneWeb, said in a statement.

OneWeb has partnered with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the national space agency of India — Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) — to facilitate this launch.

“We are proud of our ability to adapt and remain on track to deliver global connectivity in the hardest to reach places,” Masterson said.

“With many thanks to our top-of-the-line partners ISRO and NSIL, as well as our shareholder Bharti Global for their continued stewardship, we were able to facilitate this upcoming pioneering launch in Sriharikota India,” he added.

The launch will be the company’s 14th overall and the satellites will be put into orbit by the heaviest ISRO rocket, the GSLV-MkIII, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

One additional launch will take place this year and three more are targeted for early next year to complete the constellation.

“Undertaking the launch of 36 OneWeb satellites onboard GSLV-MkIII from India is a historic moment for NSIL and ISRO,” said Radhakrishnan D, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NewSpace India Limited.

With a vision to deliver transformative connectivity worldwide, the upcoming launch will be a pivotal moment for OneWeb, demonstrating tremendous momentum and progress towards delivering global coverage next year.