Bharti group backed OneWeb successfully launches 36 more satellites

Bharti Group-backed OneWeb, a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, on Saturday announced the successful launch of 36 satellites by Arianespace from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia.

This brings OneWeb’s total in-orbit constellation to 218 satellites, the company said in a statement.

Announcing the launch of 36 more satellites, the company said, “This launch brings OneWeb a step closer to completing its ‘Five to 50’ ambition and the start of commercial service by the end of the year”.

The satellites will form part of OneWeb’s 648 LEO fleet that will deliver high-speed and low-latency global connectivity.

“There is now only one launch to go until the company has the satellites required to enable its connectivity solution to reach all regions north of 50 degrees latitude by June 2021,” OneWeb added.

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The latest satellite launch marks the fourth in a five-launch programme to fulfil the ‘Five to 50’ service, enabling OneWeb to offer connectivity across the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, the Arctic Seas and Canada.

This service is expected to be switched on before the end of the year and OneWeb intends to make the global service available in 2022, it said.