Eutelsat Group is pleased to announce the successful launch and deployment of 20 satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), further strengthening the OneWeb constellation.
The satellites were launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 which lifted off at 10:13 pm PT (local) on October 19 from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The satellites separated successfully from the vehicle and were dispensed in 10 batches over a period of 20 minutes, with signal acquisition confirmed on all 20 satellites. The satellites were built by Airbus U.S. Space & Defense in Merritt Island, Florida.
This launch occurs following the one-year anniversary of the merger between Eutelsat and OneWeb to create the world’s only GEO-LEO operator. Eutelsat Group is uniquely positioned to offer customers the advantages of GEO for high-throughput capacity alongside the low-latency, high-speed global connectivity provided by LEO satellites. Since the merger, Eutelsat has seen a significant increase in demand for multi-orbit services, and is collaborating with industry leaders such as Intelsat, Inmarsat Maritime, and Hughes to deliver cutting edge connectivity services worldwide, across sectors.
Eva Berneke, CEO of Eutelsat Group, commented: “We are delighted to see the successful launch and deployment of new OneWeb satellites. 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.