The whole world is dependent on the internet today. A whole lot of businesses could stay afloat because of the internet during the current pandemic. This pandemic has highlighted the need for the internet like nothing else in the world. This propelled the communications network companies to ramp up their operations and make use of this opportunity. One such company which taking advantage of this opportunity is OneWeb. It is a global communications network powered by low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The London headquartered company enables high-speed, low latency connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities everywhere around the world.
38 satellites launched by OneWeb
OneWeb, which Bharti Group backs, confirmed the launch of 34 satellites by Arianespace from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
On 21 August, the satellites were launched. The satellites separated from the rocket and were dispensed in nine batches over 3 hours 45 minutes.
This has brought OneWeb’s total in-orbit constellation to 288 satellites. These will bolster OneWeb’s vision of a 648 LEO satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity.
“The launch comes as OneWeb’s ‘Five to 50’ Mission is successfully completed, and shows the momentum of the business as it prepares to introduce commercial services and scale globally,” the company said in a comment.
Ambitious plans for the future
Neil Masterson, the OneWeb CEO, asserted that “Following the successful execution of our ‘Five to 50’ mission, we are looking to build on our success and embarking on an ambitious back-to-back launch program until the end of 2021. We are seeing tremendous traction for our services from international customers, and we are incredibly excited about expanding our network before its commercial launch.”
OneWeb is on track to deliver global service in 2022. The company is experiencing demand from telecommunications providers, ISPs, and governments worldwide owing to its low-latency, high-speed connectivity services to the hardest-to-reach places.
The company also said, “The business is thriving from a position of strength, establishing itself as a leader in LEO broadband connectivity, and recently announced $300 million in further funding from Hanwha. OneWeb is fully funded to deliver its constellation and take its satellites into commercial service.”