OneWeb, provider of a global communications network powered from space, is going to launch its Innovation Challenge. This can be perceived as an invitation to find innovative solutions, technologies, and products.
These innovations are aimed at helping in the advancement of the satellite connectivity world and space-based communications. The open innovation challenge provides research professionals, engineering, creative talent science, and subject matter experts an opportunity to revamp the way satellite designs are being produced. This would also result in changes in designs, orbit, production, flight operations, and responsible de-orbiting.
The Innovation Challenge will majorly focus on boosting the ideas that will work as a game changer for the satellite-based connectivity solutions and will introduce new designs for future Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communications technologies. OneWeb is also searching for industrial partners from any mentioned sectors including students, academia, or research partners, to give proposals for how the existing or the upcoming technology can be used to innovate the satellites in the future in terms of designing, production, flight management and end of life removal.
Talking about the current generation of satellites at OneWeb, many components used in these satellites come from terrestrial technology. From this innovation challenge, OneWeb is expecting new technologies from industries that are not a part of the space sector like material sciences, automotive and Formula, micro-electronics, aeronautical, and a few other industries.
OneWeb CTO, Massimiliano Ladovaz, said that space is definitely the future for communications on earth. To get there, OneWeb is dedicated to building a technology roadmap that will redefine the existing ideologies with amazing innovations and ideas and it will open the gates for partnership opportunities too. He further said that this opportunity is going to play a hyper-active part in the definition and execution of OneWeb’s next generation satellite program. The winners of the Innovation Challenge will be a part of the growing list of companies with control over OneWeb’s resources in order to boost their idea’s growth. He concluded his statement by saying that the winners will be a part of the global supply chain of OneWeb.
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Submitting Innovative Proposals
In order to take part in the Innovation Challenge, entrants are supposed to register themselves in one of the two challenge categories. After that, they have to submit short proposals before May 17, 2021. All the commercial entities will have a competition in the Industrial Partners category to be a part of the co-engineering of a new generation satellite with a golden opportunity to supply components for OneWeb’s constellation.
On the other hand, Academic and research-based entities will take part in the Student/Research category with successful entrants eligible for an invitation to attend a rocket launch event. In addition to that, the winners will also get up to five paid internships working on OneWeb’s satellite programs. The finalist of the competition will be shortlisted in June. Six finalists will be invited to showcase their proposals to the OneWeb Innovation Challenge jury and the awards for the same will be announced on June 21, 2021.
