The next Arianespace mission is planned from Vostochny Cosmodrome with Soyuz on May 27 to deliver 36 satellites into orbit. By operating this seventh flight on behalf of OneWeb, Arianespace will bring the total fleet to 218 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Flight ST32, the fourth commercial mission performed by Arianespace and their Starsem affiliate from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, will push the satellites into a near-polar orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometers.
This mission will have a total duration of three hours and 51 minutes and will include nine separations of four satellites, which will raise themselves to their operational orbit. This seventh launch to the benefit of OneWeb will bring up to speed Arianespace’s operations this year, and will raise from 183 to 218 the number of satellites deployed for the global telecommunications operator.
OneWeb’s mission is to bring internet everywhere to everyone by creating a global connectivity platform through a next generation satellite constellation in LEO. OneWeb’s constellation will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity services to a wide range of customer sectors including aviation, maritime, backhaul services, as well as governments, emergency response services and more. Central to its purpose, OneWeb seeks to bring connectivity to every place where fiber cannot reach, and thereby bridge the digital divide.
Once deployed, the OneWeb constellation will enable user terminals that are capable of offering 3G, LTE, 5G and Wi-Fi coverage, providing high-speed access globally – by air, sea and land.
OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between OneWeb and Airbus Defence and Space, is the constellation’s prime contractor. The satellites were built thanks to its leading-edge satellite manufacturing process that can build up to two satellites a day on a series production line dedicated to the assembly, integration, and testing of the satellites.