OneWeb to restart launches in December
September 22, 2020
OneWeb, despite its current Chapter 11 bankruptcy situation, is to resume launching its satellites in December.
It will restart launches using Arianespace using an amended agreement with the rocket launch company.
OneWeb says the new schedule puts its business back on track to complete its full constellation by the end of 2022. OneWeb says it expects to emerge from bankruptcy with its new owners, the UK government and India’s Bharti Global, during Q4 this year.
Moreover, OneWeb says it will start its commercial broadband operations by the end of 2021 with a debut service covering the UK, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic seas and Canada.
A statement from OneWeb read: “This amended agreement [with Arianespace], which remains subject to confirmation and consummation of OneWeb’s restructuring plan, is an important milestone for OneWeb as it plans to emerge from the Chapter 11, with HM Government and Bharti Global as the prevailing bidders in OneWeb’s bankruptcy sale process. It confirms that the company will be well-placed to offer enterprise-grade connectivity services for communities, businesses, and governments in a short timeframe.”
OneWeb is in a joint-venture with Airbus to build its satellites at a factory in Florida.
The new Arianespace agreement calls for 16 rocket launches each carrying 34-36 satellites at a time. This December’s launch will take the overall OneWeb fleet to 110 satellites in orbit.