India’s NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has launched 36 OneWeb satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, India, marking a significant milestone in OneWeb’s provision of global satellite services. OneWeb is a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications business that planned to deploy a network of 588 satellites to offer worldwide coverage, with additional satellites scheduled for backups and resilience.
With the safe 18th flight of OneWeb, the total number of satellites in the system is now 618, surpassing the milestone for worldwide Internet coverage.
OneWeb’s satellites successfully dispersed from the launcher over the course of one hour and fourteen minutes in nine stages, with signal reception on all 36 satellites verified. The fact that OneWeb is deploying a satellite from India for the second time highlights the company’s close relationship with NSIL and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as well as its dedication to supplying Internet throughout all of India.
Once enabled, OneWeb’s network coverage options would deliver secured Internet access to businesses, cities, villages, governments, and educational institutions, even those in the most distant locations.
“I have witnessed firsthand the force of communication to help everyone, no matter where they are,” said Executive Chairman of OneWeb Sunil Bharti Mittal. “However, only 50% of the world’s populace has access to quick, dependable internet. With today’s debut, the digital gap is one step closer to being bridged. The worldwide network of OneWeb will be crucial in making this ideal a reality.”
Global Satellite Network Coverage
OneWeb’s CEO, Neil Masterson, added that the successful launch of the 36 satellites was a crucial milestone for the company, enabling it to offer high-speed, low-latency access all over the globe. As OneWeb approaches the deployment of the satellites required for worldwide service, the company is committed to providing coverage options for clients and towns that demand them.
The launch was also significant for NSIL, which demonstrated the successful launch of the second consecutive commercial payload of OneWeb. NSIL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Radhakrishnan D expressed his gratitude to OneWeb for providing NSIL with the significant opportunity to carry out the goal and for having faith in their skills. He added that NSIL was looking forward to working with OneWeb on a number of other business ventures that would be advantageous to both businesses.
Michelle Donelan, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, said that the LEO constellation was hugely significant both for OneWeb and the UK’s wider sector, as the country invested in OneWeb’s mission to close the digital gap globally. OneWeb’s CEO, Neil Masterson, thanked all of his coworkers who have fueled the organization’s recent growth and energy and expressed excitement about the prospect of providing high-speed, low-latency access all over the globe later this year.
