Eutelsat Group reports that it has completed the successful launch and deployment of 20 new satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) to add to its OneWeb constellation.
The satellites were launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, before successfully separating from the vehicle and being dispensed in 10 batches over a period of 20 minutes.
Signal acquisition was subsequently confirmed on all 20 satellites a short time later. The satellites were built by Airbus US Space & Defense in Florida.
This launch occurs following the one-year anniversary of Eutelsat’s takeover of OneWeb, creating a combined GEO-LEO operator with a fleet of 36 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The company is also collaborating with other industry stakeholders such as Intelsat and Inmarsat Maritime in the delivery of multi-orbit services.
“We are delighted to see the successful launch and deployment of new OneWeb satellites,” said Eva Berneke, CEO of Eutelsat Group.
“These satellites will strengthen our network services, improving overall performance for our customers. As we celebrate the anniversary of the merger with Eutelsat and OneWeb, we are excited by the growing demand for our multi-orbit services, and we remain committed to delivering value for our customers and shareholders.”
“I want to thank and congratulate the teams at Eutelsat Group and SpaceX for their hard work to facilitate this launch.”
