OneWeb, SpaceX launch 40 satellites to enable leap in connectivity

OneWeb, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, will launch 40 satellites with SpaceX no earlier than Tuesday, 6 December 2022, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch will be OneWeb’s 15th to date, and its second since resuming its launch campaign with a successful flight from India in October, placing the company on track to deliver global coverage in 2023.

Why:
This launch will add another 40 satellites to OneWeb’s LEO satellite fleet, and complete almost 80% of its first-generation constellation of 648 satellites that will deliver global wholesale connectivity for its partners. This milestone mission marks OneWeb’s first time launching from Florida, where its satellites are also produced by OneWeb Satellites – a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus.

The launch will enable the company to significantly expand service and initiate additional connectivity solutions soon for partners across the USA, Europe, and much of the Middle East and Asia, representing all points north of the 35th parallel. The expansion of the OneWeb fleet will also enable coverage between the South Pole and the 35th parallel south, opening up connectivity services in Southern Australia, South Africa, and parts of South America.

OneWeb’s connectivity solutions are already active in Alaska, Canada, the UK, Greenland, and the wider Arctic area to provide internet connectivity to unserved and underserved rural and remote communities and businesses. The Maritime