OneWeb will build Florida factory
February 5, 2016
By Chris Forrester
OneWeb is planning to launch a comprehensive 900-satellite constellation to girdle the Earth and supply broadband connectivity to the planet’s underserved consumers.
Channel Islands-based OneWeb is to reportedly establish an assembly and test facility in Florida, according to the Wall Street Journal. Matthew O’Connell, OneWeb’s new CEO, says the business has updated its business plan and is well advanced with looking at costs, production and launch schedule as well as financial and technical issues.
O’Connell told the WSJ that OneWeb’s initial satellites would be in place to allow service to commence during 2020.
OneWeb has contracted with Arianespace to use 21 of its Soyuz rockets to launch the first 600 or so satellites in its planned constellations. Another 250 satellites will be launched by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic space-plane operation.