OneWeb to buy Astra Space engines
August 31, 2022
By Chris Forrester
Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS), the joint-venture between constellation operator OneWeb and Airbus Defence & Space, have contracted with Astra Space to use and integrate Astra’s spacecraft engines into its Arrow small satellite portfolio.
Financial details, nor delivery obligations were revealed.
The AOS joint-venture is based near Merritt Island, Florida, very close to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Then link between Airbus and the Arrow satellite platform is that it manufactures the electric propulsion module designed by Airbus. AOS has already signed with Northrop Grumman with 42 of these modules as well as another contract to supply 15 platforms to start-up Loft Orbital.
The Astra engine was designed by Apollo Fusion which was acquired by Astra in 2021. Its first engine was launched into a low Earth orbit in 2021.
The company is listed on the Nasdaq (as ASTR) and is the first space launch business to be publicly traded on Nasdaq.
AOS is currently building satellites for OneWeb’s own constellation but is actively looking for other contract business of the Florida facility.