ISRO to launch 36 OneWeb Satellites this month

Bangalore: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) informed that it will launch 36 satellites of United Kingdom’s global communications network OneWeb onboard its heaviest launcher Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3) this month. The launch under ‘OneWeb India-1 mission/LVM3 M2’ will mark LVM3’s entry into the global commercial launch service market.

The collaboration is a result of ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited’s two service contracts, signed with OneWeb for launching Low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband communication satellites. ISRO informed that 36 satellites will be placed into orbit by one LVM3 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh as part of the contract.

With the launch, OneWeb will have over 70 percent of its planned ‘Gen1 Leo constellations’ in orbit as it prepares to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities.