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The second batch of 36 satellites from Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) in the United Kingdom has been integrated with the Indian rocket LVM3, according to the company.
“An exciting update from our team in India as we confirm the successful integration of our 36 satellites ahead of our upcoming launch with @ISRO and @NSIL_India. Thanks to our team working on site as we mark another step closer to completing the OneWeb global constellation,” OneWeb tweeted.
The Indian rocket LVM3 is expected to orbit the 36 satellites sometime next month.
“The OneWeb satellites are slated for launch during the first or second week of March by our rocket,” a senior official of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), preferring anonymity, had told IANS.
On October 23, 2022, the first batch of 36 satellites was launched from the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh using the LVM3 rocket, formerly known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII (GSLV MkIII).
According to OneWeb Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) has signed a contract with OneWeb to launch 72 satellites in two phases for a launch fee of more than Rs 1,000 crore.
OneWeb confirmed the successful deployment of 40 satellites launched by SpaceX from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station earlier this month.
It was OneWeb’s 16th launch to date, with only two more needed to complete its first-generation constellation, which will enable global connectivity in 2023.
With 542 satellites now in orbit, OneWeb controls more than 80% of its first-generation constellation launched.
Source:IANS
