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Eutelsat OneWeb, is a subsidiary of the French group Eutelsat providing broadband satellite Internet services in low Earth orbit (LEO).[5][6] The company has offices in Paris (France), London (UK) and Virginia (US),[7] and a satellite manufacturing facility in Florida – Airbus OneWeb Satellites – that is a joint venture with Airbus Defence and Space.

Key Information

The company was founded as "WorldVu" by Greg Wyler in 2012[1][2] and later as "OneWeb" launched its first 6 satellites in February 2019. It entered bankruptcy in March 2020 after failing to raise the required capital to complete the build and deployment of the remaining 90% of the network. The company emerged from the bankruptcy proceedings and reorganization in November 2020 with a new ownership group. As of 2021, Indian multinational company Bharti Global, France-based satellite service provider Eutelsat and the Government of the United Kingdom were the company's largest shareholders, while Japan's SoftBank retained an equity holding of 12%.[4][8]

On 28 September 2023, Eutelsat announced the completion of its merger with OneWeb and the creation of a new "Eutelsat Group" company, with subsidiaries "Eutelsat" and "Eutelsat OneWeb".[9][10]

History

[edit]
OneWeb satellite manufacturing facility in Merritt Island, Florida.

The company was founded in 2012 under the name WorldVu,[11] and was based in Britain's Channel Islands.[12]

Google participation and transfer of the spectrum

[edit]

Early reports of Google entry into broadband internet services emerged in February 2014, when Greg Wyler, along with two collaborators— Michael Tseytlin, who led engineering, and Steven Fay, who oversaw finance - developed and popularized the concept of a mega-constellation with as many as 1600 satellites.[13] In May 2014, the early concept had been to have at least 20 satellites operating in each of 20 orbital planes to provide consistent internet coverage over the surface of the Earth.[14]

By June 2014, WorldVu (later to be renamed to OneWeb) had acquired the satellite spectrum that was formerly owned by SkyBridge, a company that went bankrupt in 2000,[15] in a much earlier attempt to offer broadband Internet services via satellite.[16]

By September 2014, the WorldVu company had 30 employees, and several Google employees who had joined Google as part of the acquisition of O3b Networks in 2013 — Greg Wyler, Brian Holz, Michael Tseytlin and David Bettinger — left Google to become a part of WorldVu Satellites Ltd. They took with them the rights to a certain radio frequency spectrum that could be used to provide Internet access. At the time, WorldVu was working closely with SpaceX and SpaceX's founder Elon Musk to explore satellite internet services,[17] although no formal relationship had been established and no launch commitments had been made in 2014.[18]

SpaceX, initial manufacturing plans

[edit]

By November 2014, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk and Wyler were considering options for building a factory to manufacture high-volume low-cost satellites, and that "initial talks had been held with state officials in Florida and Colorado" about potentially locating a factory in those states,[19] as well as that SpaceX would likely launch the satellites.[19] Also in November 2014, WorldVu issued a tender "to satellite manufacturers for 640 125-kg satellites", asking for responses by mid-December 2014, having secured regulatory approval for use of the requisite electromagnetic spectrum communication frequencies in mid-2014.[20][21]

The 2014 OneWeb solicitation to satellite manufacturers was for a total build of approximately 900 small Internet-delivery satellites, including ground and on-orbit spares. Responses were received from both European and American manufacturers including Airbus Defence and Space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, OHB SE, SSL and Thales Alenia Space, and discussions focused on how each of these companies might "escape their status-quo histories as major space hardware contractors and remake themselves into producers capable of producing multiple satellites per month, each with a cost of fewer than US$500,000".[22] OneWeb announced that it planned to form a joint venture with the winning bidder and open a new facility for manufacturing the new smallsats.[22]

Funding from Virgin Group and Qualcomm

[edit]

In January 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported that WorldVu, now operating under the name OneWeb Ltd, had secured funding from Virgin Group and Qualcomm to build and launch the constellation.[23][24] OneWeb also divulged that the planned satellites would weigh approximately 125 kg and that the plans were to deploy approximately 650 of them in low Earth orbit to operate at 1,200 km (750 mi) altitude.[23][24] Just a few days later, Elon Musk announced the rival Starlink venture, with the opening of the SpaceX satellite development facility in Seattle, Washington, with the intent of taking SpaceX itself into the business of internet provision and internet backhaul services, initially announced as aiming to build an approximately 4000-satellite constellation, with the first generation becoming operational in approximately 2020.[25]

The satellites for the OneWeb constellation were initially announced to be in the 110 kg (240 lb) class, about the same size as the two Earth-imaging satellites that were then operated by Skybox Imaging, which Google acquired in August 2014.[24][26][27] However, by the following year, sources put the satellites nearer 150–200 kg (330–440 lb) in mass.[22][28]

Pre-launch agreements and investments

[edit]

In 2015, OneWeb secured US$500 million in funding, and agreed to purchase certain future launch services, from existing aerospace industry companies Arianespace and Virgin Galactic.[29][30] In June 2015, OneWeb also entered into a deal with Airbus Defence and Space for the construction of its broadband Internet satellites after a competition among American and European manufacturers.[31]

In July 2016, one year after the initial announcement, OneWeb stated they were on schedule.[32] In December 2016, OneWeb raised US$1 billion from SoftBank Group Corp. and US$200 million from existing investors.[33][34]

In February 2017, OneWeb announced that it expected to sell all of its capacity by launch time.[33] At the time, it had formally announced capacity sold for a joint Gogo and Intelsat venture.[33] OneWeb's founder and then executive chairman Greg Wyler announced he was considering nearly quadrupling the size of the satellite constellation by adding 1972 additional satellites that OneWeb had priority rights to.[33] With the original capital raise of US$500 million in 2015, plus the US$1 billion investment of SoftBank in 2016, previous "investors committed to an additional US$200 million, bringing OneWeb's total capital raised to US$1.7 billion".[33] A merger arrangement with Intelsat that had been in negotiations during May 2017 collapsed in June 2017 and did not go forward.[35]

Manufacturing and constellation rollout

[edit]

The constellation was originally announced in June 2014 to be just half of the total of approximately 720 satellites. A quarter of the satellites were to make up the initial constellation, and these would operate in the lower of the two proposed orbits, at approximately 850 km (530 mi).[16] The initial constellation would presumably be raised or lowered into its final orbital altitude of either 800 km (500 mi) or 950 km (590 mi) as consumer and business use of the broadband service grows over time.[14] By early 2015, OneWeb indicated that the first launches would occur no earlier than 2017.[24]

In February 2016, OneWeb announced that they would set up an assembly and test facility in Florida with plans to assemble and launch the majority of the satellites by the end of 2019, while manufacturing an additional 250 of the 140 kg-satellites as spares to be used in later years.[36]

In 2019, OneWeb had formed a joint venture, OneWeb Satellites, with the European company Airbus Defence and Space in order to manufacture its satellites in higher volume and at lower cost than any satellites previously built by Airbus. A manufacturing facility was built in Merritt Island, Florida. Initial satellite production at the new facility began in mid-2019 and by January 2020, the factory reached the target production rate of two satellites per day.[37]

By the time the actual orbital deployment of the constellation began, in February 2019, the planned constellation size had settled once again at 648, near the original projection, with 600 active satellites with 48 on-orbit spares.[38]

In January 2020, OneWeb reached a production rate of two satellites per day. In February 2020, the company launched its first large batch of satellites.[39][40]

In January 2021, OneWeb amended its application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to change the number of satellites planned for its Phase Two constellation to 6,372.[41][42]

First launches and additional investments

[edit]

On 27 February 2019, OneWeb launched its first six satellites into 1,200 km [43] low Earth orbit from the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana using a Soyuz-2 launch vehicle.[44][45] The same day OneWeb announced that it had signed its first two client agreements marking the beginning of its commercialization.[46] On 18 March 2019, OneWeb announced it had secured US$1.25 billion in funding following a successful first launch. The funding was from existing investors SoftBank and Qualcomm, as well as Grupo Salinas and the Government of Rwanda.[47]

By August 2019, the company had six of its satellites broadcasting at the right frequencies for 90 days, meeting the "use-it-or-lose-it" spectrum conditions set by the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union (ITU).[48] This secured the vital rights OneWeb needed to operate its global satellite broadband network.[12]

In February and March 2020, the company launched an additional 68 satellites to orbit, stating that launches would be paused to allow a minor design modification to be made before planning to resume in May 2020.[37]

Bankruptcy

[edit]

On 27 March 2020, OneWeb Global Limited and 18 affiliates filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.[49][50][3] The company said the decision was made because of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.[51] The company laid off approximately 85% of its approximately 500 employees, but retained the capability to control its operational satellites during the period of court protection.[51][50]

On 3 July 2020, a consortium led by Bharti Global and the Government of the United Kingdom won the auction to purchase the bankrupt company.[52][53][54][55] The sale closed in November, allowing the company to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[56]

Exit from bankruptcy protection

[edit]

On 3 July 2020, the Government of the United Kingdom and Sunil Mittal's Bharti Global (formerly a partner of OneWeb) announced a joint plan to invest US$500 million each for equal stakes in OneWeb Global, approximately 42% each; the rest would be held by other creditors including Softbank. The UK government would also hold a golden share to give it control over any future sales.[53][57][8] The plan was approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on 10 July 2020,[58] and the deal closed in November 2020, allowing OneWeb to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

In July 2020, Hughes Network Systems invested US$50 million in the consortium.[59] The same month, the UK government stated an intention to repurpose the OneWeb satellites for its own Global Navigation Satellite System.[53][60]

Shortly after the July public announcement of the OneWeb sale, a letter from Sam Beckett, the leading civil servant in the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), was released. In the letter, Beckett raised concerns that taxpayers' money could be at risk. The comments were made as part of a request for "ministerial direction", therefore it was required that the letter be made public and any concerns raised be formally overruled. BEIS minister Alok Sharma overrode the concerns and proceeded with the bid.[61]

On 21 September 2020, OneWeb announced that their contract with Arianespace would allow them to resume satellite launch in December 2020.[62]

New CEO, launches accelerating

[edit]

In November 2020, the company announced that Neil Masterson, formerly chief operating officer at media company Thomson Reuters, had been appointed CEO.[63] The company launched 36 additional satellites on 17 December 2020.[4] Furthermore, OneWeb announced plans to accelerate launches in 2021 so that the 650 satellites necessary for global coverage would be in orbit by 2022.[64]

2021

[edit]

In January 2021, a further funding round raised $400 million from SoftBank and Hughes Network Systems, with SoftBank getting a director seat on OneWeb's board. This brought available funding to $1.4 billion, which "positions the company" to fund its first-generation fleet of 648 satellites, but would be insufficient to fund full deployment of the constellation by mid-2022. OneWeb chairman, Sunil Mittal, estimated about a further $1 billion is required, but did not anticipate difficulty in raising that.[8]

In April 2021, OneWeb launched its sixth batch of satellites to orbit. It comprised 36 units, bringing the total in-orbit constellation to 182.[65] In the same month, it was also reported that Eutelsat was putting £400M into the company, in return for a 24% equity stake.[66] Eutelsat's stake decreased to 19.3% when Bharti Global increased its holding in June 2021.[67]

In May 2021, OneWeb announced plans to buy TrustComm, a U.S.-based managed satellite communications provider. After the purchase, the company became OneWeb's government distribution partner,[68] named OneWeb Technologies.[69]

In May 2021, OneWeb's seventh launch took the number of satellites in orbit to 218, to create the second largest fleet behind Starlink.[70] By comparison Starlink had 1,700 satellites by the end of 2021.

In June 2021, Oneweb raised an additional US$500M from Bharti Global, increasing Bharti's holding to 38.6%.[71] In August 2021, Hanwha Systems invested $300 million to purchase an 8.8% share in OneWeb, enabling Hanwha to appoint one member of the board of directors and bring its own dual-use defense and satellite technology to the company.[72]

In October 2021, OneWeb became one of the founding members of Indian Space Association (ISpA). ISpA will act as bridge between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and private industries to form the space ecosystem in India.[73]

2022 Russia controversy

[edit]

In March 2022, media reported that OneWeb was scheduled to launch a batch of 36 satellites from Baikonur cosmodrome days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. There were calls for the UK to cancel the launch. Russia said the launch had already been paid for and would not be refunded, and would be cancelled from the Russian side unless OneWeb provided additional assurance that the satellites would never be used for military purposes and the British Government disposed of its shares in the company. The British government refused this demand and the launch was cancelled, along with other Russian launches.[74][75][76][77][78][79] OneWeb tried through negotiations to get the stack of 36 satellites back, stranded in Kazakhstan due to political reasons. However, these negotiations never progressed. As OneWeb was on the verge of completing its 1st generation satellite network, they gave up hope in March 2023 on further attempts to get their satellites back, potentially scrapping the batch. The satellites were insured for $50 million, and OneWeb received the insurance money for them.[80]

SpaceX/NSIL launch services

[edit]

On 21 March 2022, OneWeb announced that it had signed a launch agreement with United States launch provider SpaceX to launch the remaining satellites on Falcon 9 rockets, with the first launch expected no earlier than summer 2022.[81][82] On 20 April 2022 OneWeb announced a similar deal with NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation.[83] OneWeb satellites were deployed by LVM 3 both on 22 October 2022 and 26 March 2023,[84] using a lightly modified version of the satellite dispenser previously used on Soyuz.[85][86]

SpaceX was originally contracted to launch three missions for OneWeb.[87] However, an additional flight was contracted on 11 January 2023 for summer 2023 to add backup satellites in orbit.[88] Three flights have been completed so far, the first flight was back on 8 December 2022,[89] and the second was on 10 January 2023.[90] As of early March 2023, there are 584 OneWeb satellites in orbit (two of which are nonoperational),[90] with SpaceX having successfully launched its third flight for OneWeb on March 9, 2023, with a load of 40 satellites.

Merger with Eutelsat

[edit]

The merger of OneWeb with France's Eutelsat S.A. – an operator of geostationary satellites – was announced in July 2022.[91] OneWeb shareholders would receive 50% of the enlarged share capital while the British government would retain its golden share or "special share" in OneWeb itself,[92] in a transaction which valued OneWeb at US$3.4 billion (£2.8 billion).[93] The French and British governments are expected to have similar direct stakes of roughly 10% in the new joint entity as well as a seat on the board each.[94]

The board of directors' structure, when the deal is finalized in the third quarter of 2023, will have Eutelsat S.A. chairman Dominique D’Hinnin and CEO Eva Berneke retain their positions in the new company Eutelsat Group. The latter will own Eutelsat S.A and OneWeb (rebranded Eutelsat OneWeb) as subsidiaries. Sunil Bharti Mittal, representing OneWeb will be the co-chair.[95] Eutelsat Group will be headquartered in Paris, France.

Bpifrance and the French Fonds Stratégique de Participations as well as Hanwha Group and the British government are all set to appoint one director each to the new company's board.[95] Meanwhile, OneWeb and Eutelsat S.A. will respectively be allowed to appoint three and four additional directors of their choice.[95]

Constellation completion

[edit]

OneWeb became operational for global coverage after launching its final set of 36 satellites on an Indian LVM3 rocket on March 25, 2023.[96]

Leap year outage

[edit]

On 31 December 2024, the OneWeb constellation had a 48 hour service outage due to ground equipment software maintained by Hughes Network Systems failing to accommodate the extra day of the 2024 leap year. There was an 80% return to service on 1 January with full service returning on 2 January.[97]

Intended markets

[edit]

In March 2021, OneWeb stated its market would be primarily to businesses, governments including defence, phone network operators and clusters of communities, rather than to individual domestic customers which Starlink primarily targets.[98][99] Users willing to connect were advised to contact their local telecom operator.[100]

OneWeb satellite constellation

[edit]

Initially, the OneWeb satellite constellation is planned to have 648 small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that can provide high-speed broadband internet to rural and isolated areas.[101] As of January 2023, they have launched 544 satellites, with 542 being functional.[90] The constellation is planned for completion by the end of March 2023. OneWeb engineers will then take a few months to test the system before commercial service starts in the fourth quarter of 2023.[102]

The satellites were built by OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb.[103] The satellites are in a circular orbit, at approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) altitude,[36] and transmitting and receiving in the Ku-band radio frequency.[14]

OneWeb's first six satellites were launched on a Soyuz rocket on 27 February 2019.[104] The first large batch of 34 satellites was launched on 6 February 2020,[105] and another 34 were put into orbit on 21 March 2020.[106] These were followed by more launches in 2021. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 meant that launches on the Soyuz rocket were suspended, and Arianespace had to find other launch providers for OneWeb.[87] Satellite launches resumed in quarter four of 2022 using the Indian LVM3 rocket and the SpaceX's Falcon 9.[89]

Design

[edit]

First generation

[edit]

The satellites in the OneWeb constellation are approximately 150 kg (330 lb) in mass,[38] a bit smaller than the 2015 design estimate of 150–200 kg (330–440 lb).[22][28] The 648 operational satellites are to operate in 12 near polar orbit planes at 1,200 km (750 mi) altitude, at 86.4° orbital inclination. Initially 18 orbital planes with 49 satellites per plane was planned, requiring 882 satellites plus some spares, but improved satellite coverage capability allowed this to be reduced to 12 planes of 49 satellites requiring 588 satellites plus some on-orbit spares.[107][108][109]

The first-generation satellites do not have inter-satellite data links, so can only provide a user service when also in the range of a gateway ground station.[109] As of 2023, OneWeb expect the final operational constellation to be fewer than 1,000 satellites, instead of several thousands being considered earlier. A number of next generation satellites of about 500 kg (1,100 lb) mass may be procured in the future.[110]

The satellites provide user service in the Ku-band.[14][24] Links to the gateway ground stations are in the Ka-band.[109] The satellites are designed to comply with "orbital debris-mitigation guidelines for removing satellites from orbit and, for low-orbit satellites, assuring that they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere within 25 years of retirement".[111]

Launches

[edit]
A stack of 36 OneWeb satellites ready for integration to LVM3 rocket for its 14th launch

On 27 February 2019, OneWeb successfully launched the first six of the 648 planned 1st generation satellites (600 active plus 48 on-orbit spares) into low Earth orbit from the Centre Spatial Guyanais using a Russian Soyuz ST-B rocket.[104][112]

List of launches

[edit]

In November 2019, OneWeb planned monthly launches to begin in January 2020,[113] although the first of these launches was delayed to early February 2020,[105] and bankruptcy and subsequent reorganization delayed the fourth launch to 18 December 2020.[114] Since the fourth launch, OneWeb has launched five times from Vostochny; once from Kourou; thrice from Baikonur; twice from Sriharikota and four times from Cape Canaveral, with the most recent one being on 20 October 2024. With these launches, OneWeb has taken its in-orbit mega-constellation to 652 operational satellites (2 satellites failed), completing the planned deployment,[115] and making OneWeb the second largest satellite fleet in orbit. These satellites are sufficient to start operational use of the Gen 1 constellation.[116] In their latest launch a second generation demonstration satellite called "Joeysat" joined the constellation to test some technicalities of the newer satellite.

Generation 1 satellites

[edit]
Flight No.[117] Date/Time (UTC) Launch complex Launch site Launch vehicle Launch agency Number deployed Outcome
1 27 February 2019 [118] Soyuz Launch Complex Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana, France Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT Russia Roscomos 6 (test satellites) Success
2 6 February 2020 [105] Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baikonur, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 34 (first launch of operational satellites) Success
3 21 March 2020 [106] Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baikonur, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 34 Success
4 18 December 2020 [119][114] Site 1S Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, Russia Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
5 25 March 2021 [120] Site 1S Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, Russia Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
6 25 April 2021 [121] Site 1S Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, Russia Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
7 28 May 2021 [122] Site 1S Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, Russia Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
8 1 July 2021 [123] Site 1S Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, Russia Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
9 21 August 2021 [124] Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baikonur, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 34 Success
10 14 September 2021 [125] Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baikonur, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 34 Success
11 14 October 2021 [126] Site 1S Vostochny Cosmodrome, Tsiolkovsky, Amur Oblast, Russia Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
12 27 December 2021 Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baikonur, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Success
13 10 February 2022 Soyuz Launch Complex Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana, France Soyuz ST-B / Fregat-MT Russia Roscomos 34 Success
- 4 March 2022 Site 31 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baikonur, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan Soyuz 2.1b / Fregat-M Russia Roscomos 36 Aborted on launch pad, potentially scrapped[80]
14 22 October 2022 [127] SDSC SLP Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India LVM3 India ISRO 36 Success
15 8 Dec 2022 LC-39A Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida, USA Falcon 9 Block 5 United States SpaceX 40 Success
16 10 Jan 2023 SLC-40 Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Brevard County, Florida, USA Falcon 9 Block 5 United States SpaceX 40 Success
17 9 Mar 2023 SLC-40 Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Brevard County, Florida, USA Falcon 9 Block 5 United States SpaceX 40 Success
18 26 Mar 2023 SDSC SLP Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, India LVM3 India ISRO 36 Success
20 20 Oct 2024[128] SLC-4E Vandenberg Space Force Base, Santa Barbara, California, USA Falcon 9 Block 5 United States SpaceX 20 Success

Total number of operational satellites: 652 as of 20 Oct 2024.[129]

Generation 2 satellites

[edit]
Flight No. Date/Time (UTC) Launch complex Launch site Launch vehicle Launch agency Number deployed Outcome
19 20 May 2023[130] SLC-4E Vandenberg Space Force Base, Santa Barbara, California, USA Falcon 9 Block 5 United States SpaceX 16 including Joeysat test satellite[131] Success

Active internet services

[edit]

In May 2021, OneWeb said that its then current constellation (218 spacecraft), as well as an additional 36 satellites planned to launch on 1 July 2021, would be equipped to service northern regions, including the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic Seas, and Canada, by the end of the year.[132]

The company's 648-satellite network was planned for completion by late 2022, with OneWeb making global internet services available at that time.[132] Owing to launch delays from Roscosmos (see above) the constellation was not completed until mid 2023 following three launches in the first half of the year.[133]

By the end of June 2023, services were covering most of Europe and the United States. Global coverage is expected to be available by the end of 2023 once all satellites are in their final positions and the ground stations completed.[134] As of November 2024, Morocco is set to give regulatory approval to OneWeb by 2025.[135]

Concerns

[edit]

End-of-life concerns

[edit]

With such a large number of satellites being added to the already crowded low Earth orbit, plans for handling the satellites once the operational life of each satellite is completed are an important consideration. Concerns about adding to the existing space debris problem have been expressed.[16]

With OneWeb satellites having higher orbits than the competing Starlink megaconstellation satellites (which will deorbit in ~5 years without action due to atmospheric drag), OneWeb satellites will not passively deorbit in a reasonable timeframe. As such, each OneWeb satellite has fuel allocated to be able to actively deorbit at its end of life.[136] OneWeb satellites are also equipped with an Altius DogTag magnetic grappling fixture, to make it possible for another spacecraft to attach and change the orbit of satellites whose built-in deorbit functionality fails, though there does not currently exist commercial services to carry out this active debris removal service.[137] The risk of a OneWeb satellite becoming a source of debris was determined to be <0.01, which meets NASA's Technical Standard.[138]

Interference with other Earth-bound transceivers

[edit]

OneWeb competitor, satellite fleet operator ABS, has expressed concerns about the amount of electromagnetic interference that the OneWeb constellation could add to existing terrestrial transceivers.[139]

Russian security concerns

[edit]

Vladimir Sadovnikov of the Federal Security Service (FSB) stated in 2018 that the FSB was opposed to OneWeb covering Russia, saying that OneWeb could be used for espionage purposes.[140] OneWeb's request for a frequency band was previously rejected by the Ministry for Digital Development and Communications, purportedly due to outstanding legal issues.[140] FSB also proposed increasing scrutiny on other satellite Internet equipment in Russia.[141]

Competition

[edit]

As of January 2024, the major competitor is SpaceX's Starlink satellite network with over 2 million customers. While OneWeb will only work with partner telephone companies,[142] SpaceX is also serving consumers directly.

Competition to OneWeb for producing smaller and lower-cost satellites, in general, is thought to come "from other makers of small satellites, thought to include companies such as Nevada-based Sierra Nevada Corp. and Britain's Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd." as of 2014.[19]

Amazon announced a large broadband internet satellite constellation proposal in April 2019, planning to launch up to 3,236 satellites in the next decade in what Amazon calls "Project Kuiper", a satellite constellation that will work in concert[143] with Amazon's previously announced large network of 12 satellite ground station facilities (the "AWS Ground Station unit") announced in November 2018.[144]

Historically, earlier companies that have attempted to build satellite internet service networks and provide space-based internet connections have not fared well, as these services were hobbled by high costs which consequently attracted few users. Iridium SSC filed for bankruptcy protection in 1999, Globalstar did the same in 2002, and Teledesic suspended its satellite construction work in the same year.[19]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Eutelsat OneWeb

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Eutelsat OneWeb is a (LEO) satellite constellation operated by the Group, delivering global connectivity characterized by low latency and high speeds from an altitude of approximately 1,200 kilometers. Formed through the September 2023 all-share merger between Eutelsat S.A. and OneWeb—valued at $3.4 billion—it integrates the first-generation constellation planned for 648 satellites, with 656 launched and 654 operational as of early 2025 achieving global pole-to-pole coverage, alongside Eutelsat's fleet of over 30 geostationary (GEO) satellites, establishing the first fully integrated multi-orbit operator capable of hybrid network solutions. The constellation supports resilient, secure communications for enterprise, government, maritime, aviation, and telecom sectors, enabling real-time applications such as cloud services and video in remote or mobile settings where terrestrial infrastructure is limited. Deployment involved multiple launch campaigns, shifting from initial Russian providers to partners in India and the United States following geopolitical disruptions, with ongoing replenishment efforts including an order for 440 additional satellites scheduled for delivery starting late 2026 to sustain operational capacity. Post-merger, LEO revenues have grown significantly, driven by government demand, though the company faces competitive pressures in broadband markets and regulatory hurdles in regions like India.

History

Inception and Early Vision (2012-2015)

WorldVu Satellites Limited was founded in 2012 by , a satellite communications entrepreneur who had previously established in 2007 to deliver broadband services to underserved regions. Wyler's experience in , where he wired schools for in the early , informed his ambition for WorldVu: to create a scalable, low-cost network capable of providing ubiquitous high-speed connectivity, targeting the estimated 3 billion people without reliable at the time. The company, registered in the , initially operated under the name WorldVu with a focus on leveraging advances in manufacturing and phased-array antennas to reduce costs and latency compared to traditional geostationary systems. By 2014, WorldVu had refined its technical concept, drawing from historical proposals like the 1990s SkyBridge LEO constellation but emphasizing of inexpensive satellites—targeting costs around $350,000 per unit through assembly-line methods—to enable a dense orbital network. The core vision emphasized causal advantages of (LEO) altitudes around 1,200 km for minimizing signal delay, enabling applications from rural to maritime and services, while prioritizing empirical feasibility over speculative hype. This approach contrasted with higher-orbit incumbents by aiming for global coverage without reliance on ground infrastructure in remote areas, with initial designs calling for over 300 satellites to achieve redundancy and capacity. On January 13, 2015, WorldVu, now operating publicly as OneWeb Ltd., announced detailed plans for a 648-satellite LEO constellation to deliver high-speed internet and telephony to underserved populations worldwide, with launches projected to begin by 2017 using cost-effective vehicles like refurbished Russian Zenit rockets. The system envisioned user terminals with advanced beam-forming to support speeds up to 50 Mbps download, focusing on practical deployment to connect schools, businesses, and individuals in developing nations where terrestrial alternatives were economically unviable. Wyler positioned the project as a pragmatic extension of proven satellite economics, backed by partnerships for spectrum access in Ku-band, though early regulatory filings highlighted challenges in orbital debris mitigation and interference management.

Funding Challenges and Key Investments (2016-2019)

In 2016, OneWeb confronted substantial funding hurdles inherent to developing a large-scale low Earth orbit satellite constellation, requiring billions in capital for satellite manufacturing, launches, and ground infrastructure amid competition from established players and emerging rivals like SpaceX. The company's initial $500 million raised in 2015 proved insufficient, prompting a critical push for additional investment to sustain operations and initiate production. On December 19, 2016, OneWeb announced $1.2 billion in new funding, primarily from SoftBank Group Corp.'s $1 billion lead investment, which positioned SoftBank as the largest shareholder with approximately 40% stake, alongside contributions from Virgin Group, Totalplay (a Grupo Salinas company), and existing backers including Airbus, Qualcomm, and Boeing. These funds enabled progress toward satellite prototyping and launch contracts but did not eliminate ongoing financial pressures, as constellation costs—initially projected at around $3 billion—faced scrutiny over potential overruns due to complexities and regulatory approvals. By September 2018, OneWeb ceased publicly affirming original cost targets, reflecting internal adjustments amid investor concerns about the project's economic viability and the need for further capital to deploy the full 648- network. A notable setback emerged in 2019 when negotiations with for a potential merger or capacity-sharing deal collapsed, leading Intelsat to sue OneWeb and SoftBank in September for alleged , , and , which strained relations and highlighted execution risks. To bridge these gaps, OneWeb secured another $1.25 billion in March 2019 from returning investors led by SoftBank, , and others including the Government of Rwanda and , elevating total funding to $3.4 billion and supporting accelerated satellite production at a Florida facility. This round underscored reliance on a core group of committed backers but also exposed vulnerabilities, as the capital-intensive model demanded continuous infusions without guaranteed revenue until operational deployment.

Bankruptcy and Restructuring (2020)

On March 27, 2020, OneWeb Global Limited and 18 affiliates filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The filing listed approximately $3.3 billion in assets and $2.1 billion in liabilities, primarily stemming from debts to creditors including launch provider , which held an unsecured claim exceeding $238 million. OneWeb cited the inability to secure additional financing for commercial operations and satellite deployment, exacerbated by the economic disruptions of the , as the primary triggers; its largest investor, , had declined a request for further capital just prior. The Chapter 11 process was structured as a prepackaged to facilitate an orderly sale of the company while maintaining operations, with authorization sought to utilize cash collateral and continue employing approximately 750 staff at the time. Advisors included Milbank LLP as legal counsel, for , and Guggenheim Securities for financial matters. During the proceedings, OneWeb paused non-essential activities but preserved its launched satellites and ground infrastructure, rejecting in favor of a going-concern sale to maximize creditor recovery. Unsecured creditors initially asserted claims totaling around $1.6 billion but later adjusted demands to align with the plan. In July 2020, OneWeb selected a $1 billion equity investment offer from a consortium led by and UK government entities, outbidding rivals and providing debtor-in-possession financing to resume satellite launches. The U.S. approved related transfers of control on April 10, 2020, enabling continuity of spectrum licenses. By September, the company secured an additional $235 million in interim financing to support constellation deployment amid the ongoing case. The reorganization plan was confirmed by the court on October 9, 2020, with term loan lenders receiving 95% of new common equity and unsecured creditors positioned for full payment. OneWeb emerged from Chapter 11 protection on November 20, 2020, backed by the consortium's investment, which diluted prior equity holders like SoftBank but preserved the company's path toward operational viability without full liquidation. This restructuring addressed immediate liquidity shortfalls while retaining core assets, including 74 satellites already in orbit from prior Soyuz launches.

Constellation Deployment and Recovery (2021-2022)

![LVM3 rocket preparing for OneWeb satellite launch in India][float-right] Following its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2020 with a restructured ownership including Bharti Global and the UK government, OneWeb resumed satellite deployment operations in 2021, focusing on rapid constellation build-out to enable initial services. The company secured additional funding and rebuilt its workforce after significant layoffs during the proceedings, aiming to launch batches via Soyuz rockets from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome. In March 2021, OneWeb achieved a key milestone with the launch of additional satellites aboard a Soyuz rocket, increasing the in-orbit constellation to 146 units and positioning the network for coverage above 50 degrees latitude by year-end. Subsequent launches accelerated progress: by October 2021, a batch of 34 satellites was successfully deployed from Baikonur, maintaining momentum toward global service initiation in 2022. Further Soyuz missions in 2021 brought the total deployed satellites to approximately 394 by December, representing over half of the planned 648 first-generation units. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 disrupted this trajectory, as Roscosmos halted cooperation with Western clients. On March 4, 2022, a Soyuz rocket loaded with 36 OneWeb satellites was removed from the Baikonur launch pad without deployment, stranding the payloads and prompting OneWeb to cancel all remaining Soyuz contracts—originally six launches worth hundreds of millions. This led to a $229 million financial charge in 2022 for terminated agreements and unrecoverable satellites held in Kazakhstan. To recover, OneWeb diversified launch providers, contracting for missions from the and for GSLV Mk III launches from . A pivotal , 2022, mission successfully orbited 36 satellites, marking OneWeb's 14th overall launch and elevating the constellation to 462 satellites—over 70% of the target. These efforts mitigated the Russian setback, enabling continued progress despite geopolitical risks and reinforcing the constellation's path to operational viability.

Merger with Eutelsat and Global Coverage (2023)

OneWeb achieved initial global coverage capability for its low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation following the successful launch of its final batch of 36 satellites on March 25, 2023, aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) LVM3 rocket from Sriharikota, India. This Launch #18 deployment completed the targeted 648 operational satellites, enabling broadband connectivity services across all latitudes, including polar regions, with low latency under 50 milliseconds. The milestone marked the transition from regional to worldwide service rollout, targeting enterprise, government, and mobility sectors initially, with plans for consumer expansion via partnerships. In parallel, advanced its strategic combination with OneWeb, initially announced in June 2022 as an all-share merger valuing OneWeb at approximately $3.4 billion. Regulatory approvals were secured by August 10, 2023, paving the way for shareholder votes. On September 28, 2023, shareholders approved the transaction with the required two-thirds majority, finalizing the merger and establishing the as a unified entity headquartered in , . The merger integrated Eutelsat's (GEO) fleet with OneWeb's LEO network, creating a multi-orbit operator capable of delivering hybrid connectivity solutions for enhanced reliability and coverage. Under new CEO Eva Berneke, the combined company aimed to compete with dominant players like SpaceX's by leveraging complementary strengths: Eutelsat's established video and data services alongside OneWeb's high-throughput, low-latency broadband. Post-merger, Group reported a customer base exceeding 7,000 sites activated on the OneWeb network by year-end, with initial revenues from global services contributing to consolidated financials. The entity maintained listings on , positioning it as Europe's leading satellite operator outside the U.S.

Post-Merger Expansion and Operations (2024-2025)

In fiscal year 2024-25 (ending June 30, 2025), Eutelsat Group achieved operating verticals revenues of €1,226 million, up 0.8% on a comparable basis, with OneWeb's LEO segment driving growth through an over 80% increase in revenues to €184 million, or 15% of the group total. This expansion reflected heightened demand for resilient connectivity, particularly in government services, which rose 24.1% to €211 million, bolstered by LEO-enabled solutions for maritime, , and remote operations. Adjusted EBITDA remained stable at a 60.5% margin, meeting financial objectives amid investments in constellation . Operational enhancements included the October 2024 launch of 20 additional OneWeb satellites via SpaceX, increasing the constellation's capacity for low-latency broadband delivery. To ensure long-term viability, Eutelsat contracted Airbus Defence and Space in December 2024 to manufacture 100 replenishment satellites, with initial deliveries slated for late 2026 from the Toulouse facility, targeting gradual fleet replacement as first-generation units approach end-of-life. Funding for these efforts came via a €1.35 billion capital raise completed in June 2025, elevating the French government's stake to the largest single shareholder position and earmarking proceeds for LEO infrastructure. In October 2024, Eutelsat secured a role in the European IRIS² program to design and operate secure connectivity infrastructure, aiming for full operational capability by the early 2030s. Partnerships advanced , including a June 2025 multi-year LEO capacity agreement with Orange to enhance hybrid satellite-terrestrial services in and the , building on prior collaborations. Additional deals encompassed distribution pacts with E-SAT for maritime and enterprise users in April 2025, Station Satcom for vessel connectivity in July 2025, and Tusass for resilient coverage in by October 2025. Efforts toward full global service included activating five additional ground gateways in 2025 to eliminate prior coverage gaps. However, operations encountered a 48-hour service interruption on the OneWeb network starting December 31, 2024, attributed to temporary technical issues without long-term impact disclosed. By 2025, the group consolidated branding under , streamlining post-merger identity while retaining OneWeb as the LEO operational brand.

Technical Design and Constellation

First-Generation Satellites

The first-generation of the Eutelsat OneWeb constellation comprise 648 small spacecraft designed to provide global broadband connectivity from . Each satellite has a launch mass of approximately 147 kg and measures about 40 cm by 30 cm by 25 cm when stowed, facilitating high-volume production and deployment. These operate in 12 near-polar orbital planes at an altitude of 1,200 km, inclined at 87.5 degrees, enabling global coverage including high and polar latitudes with typical latency below 70 ms, download speeds up to 200 Mbps, and support for rapid handovers between satellites to maintain consistent service on moving platforms; this configuration achieves low-latency coverage with handover capabilities between satellites. The constellation achieved 100% pole-to-pole global coverage in 2023, providing high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity worldwide. Manufactured primarily by Airbus Defence and Space at facilities including one in , the satellites incorporate electric propulsion systems using iodine for station-keeping and deorbiting at end-of-life, ensuring compliance with mitigation standards. They feature fixed phased-array antennas generating 16 user beams in the Ku-band (14/12 GHz) for customer links and separate Ka-band beams (27.5-30 GHz) for gateway uplinks and downlinks (17.8-20.2 GHz), supporting data rates up to several Gbps per satellite through frequency reuse. Power is provided by deployable solar arrays producing around 200-400 W, with batteries for eclipse periods, and onboard processing enables and interference management. Deployment of the first-generation constellation was completed by October 2024, with 656 satellites launched, of which 654 are active and operational as of early 2025, including spares, following launches primarily on Soyuz, , and rockets after geopolitical shifts disrupted Russian launch contracts. Additionally, 440 replenishment satellites have been ordered, with deliveries scheduled to begin in late 2026. As of 2025, the operational fleet delivers resilient service with redundancy, though plans for second-generation upgrades address capacity limitations of the fixed-beam architecture.

Network Architecture and Ground Segment

The Eutelsat OneWeb network employs a (LEO) constellation comprising over 600 satellites deployed in 12 orbital planes at an altitude of 1,200 kilometers, designed to provide global broadband coverage with low latency. The architecture relies on a bent-pipe system, where satellites function as transparent relays, forwarding signals received from ground gateways in Ka-band to user terminals in Ku-band without on-board processing or routing. This design eschews inter-satellite laser links, necessitating a dense distribution of terrestrial gateways to maintain continuous coverage and minimize disruptions as satellites pass overhead. Each satellite features phased-array antennas capable of generating multiple fixed, highly elliptical beams for regional coverage, with the supporting up to 16 user downlink channels mapped to corresponding gateway uplinks per satellite pass. The absence of regenerative processing or crosslinks in the first-generation design prioritizes simplicity and cost efficiency but requires extensive ground infrastructure to route traffic back to the , contrasting with architectures employing on-board switching. The ground segment centers on a global network of approximately 44 gateways, each equipped with multiple antennas to interface with the constellation and terrestrial fiber networks, ensuring resilient backhaul connectivity. As of mid-2025, over 40 such stations were operational, with additional deployments in regions like , , , and to achieve full global service excluding restricted zones. These gateways, often engineered by Hughes, handle signal , traffic aggregation, and , with sites strategically placed in remote areas to optimize visibility and minimize latency. User terminals form the access layer, comprising compact, electronically steered antennas compatible with the Ku-band user beams, enabling deployment for fixed, maritime, , and mobile applications with throughputs up to several hundred Mbps. Network operations are supported by control centers for satellite tracking, , and command, integrated with the gateways to facilitate dynamic beam handovers and service provisioning across the constellation.

Planned Second-Generation Upgrades

Eutelsat has adopted a phased approach to second-generation enhancements for the OneWeb constellation, prioritizing service continuity and targeted upgrades over expansive capacity increases following financial reassessment in early 2024. The company deferred major performance boosts, such as significant bandwidth expansions, to allocate resources toward replenishing the existing fleet of approximately 648 satellites, which began facing end-of-life considerations around 2027-2028. This revision reduced projected expenditures by nearly one-third from an initial $4 billion estimate, enabling focus on long-term customer contracts amid competitive pressures in the satellite broadband market. In December 2024, awarded a contract to manufacture 100 satellites for constellation extension, with production slated to commence in 2026 and initial deliveries by year-end. These follow-on units incorporate evolutionary improvements, including integration with terrestrial networks and architectural compatibility with Europe's IRIS² multi-orbit system, set for operational service in the early . Unlike the first-generation design, which emphasized basic Ku-band connectivity, these satellites aim to enhance hybrid network interoperability while maintaining core broadband capabilities for maritime, aviation, and remote enterprise users. By August 2025, outlined plans to deploy up to 340 additional satellites by 2029, framing them as a second-generation iteration under the €2 billion IRIS² framework to bolster European digital sovereignty and fleet resilience. Digital payload advancements form a core element of these upgrades, exemplified by a May 2025 agreement with Ramon.Space to equip at least 70 satellites with software-defined channelizers and AI-driven processors. This shift from analog to allows in-orbit reconfiguration for evolving demands, improved spectrum efficiency, and seamless coordination with Eutelsat's geostationary assets, potentially enabling laser inter-satellite links in future batches for reduced latency. Such modifications address first-generation limitations in flexibility, where fixed hardware constrained adaptability to variable traffic patterns, though full-scale implementation remains contingent on market viability and regulatory approvals for enhanced orbital slots.

Launch Campaigns

Launch Providers and Contracts

OneWeb initially secured launch services from , which utilized Russian Soyuz rockets for deploying its first-generation satellites. In 2015, the company signed a contract for 21 Soyuz flights from launch sites including the , , and to orbit the planned 648 satellites. In March 2019, OneWeb and agreed on an additional contract involving 16 Soyuz launches to complete the constellation deployment. These missions successfully orbited hundreds of satellites between February 2019 and December 2021, with each Soyuz carrying 34 to 36 satellites. The Soyuz contract faced disruption following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, prompting the UK government—OneWeb's primary shareholder at the time—to suspend payments to Roscosmos, halting further launches in March 2022. OneWeb terminated the agreement in September 2022, incurring a $229 million impairment charge related to advance payments and 36 satellites left stranded in Kazakhstan. A settlement was reached with Arianespace, allowing for potential future resumption of services to offset the prepaid amounts. To resume deployment, OneWeb signed a launch services agreement with on March 21, 2022, for three dedicated missions capable of deploying up to 40 satellites each, equivalent in capacity to four Soyuz launches. conducted its first OneWeb mission on December 8, 2022, followed by additional flights, culminating in the final first-generation launch on October 19, 2024, from . Concurrently, OneWeb established a partnership with (NSIL), the commercial arm of the (ISRO), building on a November 2021 formalized into a binding contract post-Soyuz suspension. The agreement covered two launches using the rocket, deploying 72 satellites total: the first on , 2022 (OneWeb India-1), and the second on , 2023 (OneWeb India-2). For future expansions, including second-generation satellites, Eutelsat OneWeb signed a multi-launch agreement with in June 2022 for missions using the rocket, scheduled to begin in 2025. In January 2026, Eutelsat signed a multi-launch agreement with MaiaSpace to support the expansion of the OneWeb satellite constellation, with flights set to begin in 2027.

Deployment Timeline and Achievements

The deployment of OneWeb's first-generation began with an initial demonstrator launch on February 27, 2019, when a Soyuz-2.1b/ upper stage rocket from the deployed six prototype satellites into a 1,200 km circular orbit at 87.5° inclination, marking the first orbital test of the Ku-band design. Subsequent launches in 2019 and early 2020 utilized Soyuz vehicles from and the , deploying batches of 34 satellites each; notable missions included February 6, 2020 (34 satellites, expanding the constellation to 40 operational units) and March 21, 2020 (another 34, reaching 74 satellites total). These early deployments validated scalability at the Florida facility and initial network phasing, though full operational capability required hundreds more satellites. Following OneWeb's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on March 27, 2020, launches paused briefly before resuming in 2021 with Soyuz missions from Russia, adding 36 satellites in April (totaling 182 in orbit) and another 36 in May (reaching 218), enabling initial commercial services above 50° north latitude by late 2021 as a key achievement in partial coverage for maritime, , and remote enterprise users. By September 2021, a Soyuz launch added 34 more, progressing toward denser orbital shells for redundancy. Geopolitical tensions from Russia's of disrupted remaining Soyuz contracts, prompting a pivot to alternative providers; OneWeb secured deals with and India's , completing 13 Soyuz missions overall for 428 satellites while shifting the remaining ~200 to Western and Indian rockets. The accelerated 2023 campaign marked pivotal achievements, with 's Launch 17 on March 10 deploying 40 satellites (total: 582) from , followed by ISRO's LVM3-M3 on March 26 launching 36 satellites from , achieving initial constellation closure at 618 units and enabling global broadband coverage excluding polar gaps pending ground segment expansion. Launch 19 in May 2023 via added further units to reach 634 operational satellites, a milestone for low-latency LEO surpassing initial 648 targets through spares integration. Post-completion replenishment continued into 2024-2025, including a March 16, 2024, mission with 16 satellites (incorporating a next-generation JoeySat for testing) and 's October 19, 2024, Launch 20 deploying 20 final first-generation units, ensuring long-term orbital amid deorbiting of early . Overall, the campaign deployed over 650 satellites across 20+ missions, achieving 99%+ successful contacts and paving the way for OneWeb's hybrid GEO-LEO network, with empirical data confirming sub-100 ms latency and 50-200 Mbps throughput in trials.

Services and Market Applications

Target Sectors and Use Cases

Eutelsat OneWeb's LEO services primarily target enterprise and government sectors requiring resilient, high-throughput connectivity in remote or mobile environments, with applications emphasizing low-latency broadband for data-intensive operations. Key verticals include maritime, , defense, and , where the constellation's global coverage supports speeds up to 200 Mbps and latencies below 50 ms, enabling real-time applications like remote monitoring and secure communications. In the maritime sector, services facilitate connectivity for vessels, offshore platforms, and cruise ships, supporting welfare through high-bandwidth video calls and operational needs such as vessel tracking and IoT transmission. Operators benefit from seamless handoffs across the constellation, reducing downtime in polar and oceanic regions where traditional GEO satellites underperform. Aviation applications focus on in-flight connectivity (IFC) for commercial and , delivering passenger and cockpit links with minimal latency to enhance and operational efficiency, providing download speeds up to 195 Mbps for full-duplex (FDX) systems on larger aircraft and 40–60 Mbps for hybrid-duplex (HDX) systems. The system's mobility-optimized architecture supports aeronautical mobility, including and real-time weather updates. For government and defense, Eutelsat OneWeb provides secure, resilient networks for operations, , and disaster relief, with turnkey solutions for and welfare support in austere environments. These services emphasize and priority access, addressing requirements for beyond-line-of-sight connectivity in contested areas. Enterprise use cases span remote industries like , , and rural backhaul, where terminals enable for , wind farms, and telecom offload in underserved regions. In specifically, connectivity supports via IoT and remote asset management, improving safety and reducing operational costs in harsh terrains. Overall, these sectors leverage the constellation's 648-satellite deployment for scalable capacity, with terminal sales across verticals driving LEO revenue growth of over 80% in 2024-25.

Key Partnerships and Customer Deployments

Eutelsat OneWeb has established partnerships with telecommunications operators to expand LEO connectivity into enterprise and government markets, including a multi-year agreement with Orange signed on June 5, 2025, providing LEO capacity to enhance Orange's satellite solutions for enterprise and government customers across , the , and beyond. In , Eutelsat partnered with Nelco, a company, on August 12, 2025, to deliver secure, low-latency LEO services through OneWeb India Communications, targeting enterprise users in remote areas. Government and defense deployments include a capacity deal with the Foreign, & Development Office (FCDO) Services via NSSL Global, announced July 21, 2025, to support resilient connectivity for diplomatic and humanitarian operations. On June 18, 2025, secured a French government contract valued up to €1 billion for sovereign LEO services, emphasizing national security and resilience over reliance on foreign providers. In polar regions, Comtech deployed OneWeb LEO services to starting April 15, 2024, using its ELEVATE VSAT system for research stations. An expanded partnership with Greenland's Tusass, effective October 1, 2025, brings LEO connectivity to remote communities for maritime, enterprise, and public safety applications. Distribution agreements support broader customer access, such as with AST Networks for global maritime and enterprise solutions, and E-SAT for high-speed across European countries. Eutelsat OneWeb began supporting inflight connectivity via its Ku-band LEO network from September 2024, enabling aviation providers to offer low-latency passenger services. These deployments leverage the constellation's 648 operational first-generation satellites for hybrid GEO-LEO services, focusing on high-reliability sectors like defense and remote operations.

Performance and Reliability Data

Eutelsat OneWeb's first-generation constellation consists of approximately 650 operational satellites in at an altitude of 1,200 km, arranged in 12 orbital planes with an 87° inclination, enabling global coverage with a minimum elevation angle of 55° and enhanced performance in high-latitude regions. Each satellite supports Ku-band communications with 8 channels of 250 MHz bandwidth across 16 fixed beams and dual Ka-band steerable spot beams for gateways, facilitating data rates aligned with enterprise requirements. The satellites operate at speeds of about 27,000 km/h with an of 109 minutes, designed for a minimum lifespan of 5 years and incorporating redundancies such as backup Ka-band beams for seamless handovers. Network performance measurements indicate round-trip times (RTT) typically ranging from 50 to 100 ms, with variations occurring during handovers between network portals due to the absence of inter- links, such as abrupt drops observed from 100 ms to 50 ms in tests conducted in late 2024. Throughput tests using user terminals have demonstrated download speeds up to 195 Mbps and upload speeds up to 32 Mbps, depending on antenna type—for instance, the Intellian OW11F terminal achieves 150 Mbps down and 30 Mbps up—while sustaining guaranteed plans like 100/20 Mbps under controlled UDP and TCP conditions with BBR congestion control yielding optimal results. Coverage density is higher at poles than , influencing (SINR) stability during intra-plane, inter-plane, or inter-beam handovers, which follow predictable 24-hour patterns. Reliability features include weatherized antennas with IP66 ratings and agreements guaranteeing , supported by ground infrastructure of 29 points of presence and 40 network portals as of mid-2025. A notable disruption occurred from December 31, 2024, to January 2, 2025, when a 48-hour outage affected the OneWeb low-Earth service due to a ground segment software issue related to timing, which resolved through vendor collaboration without reported long-term constellation impacts. Independent assessments confirm consistent throughput fulfillment despite handover-induced latency fluctuations, though equatorial sparsity may pose challenges for uniform reliability.

Business and Financial Trajectory

Investment and Funding Evolution

OneWeb raised its first major funding round of $519 million in June 2015 during its Series A stage, backed by investors including , , Airbus Group, and Ventures. This capital supported early development of its low-Earth orbit for global . In December 2016, a Series C round secured $1.2 billion, primarily from with participation from existing backers like and European Partners, funding satellite manufacturing and launch preparations. By March 2019, OneWeb completed a $1.25 billion Series D round from returning investors including SoftBank, Coca-Cola, and Mubadala Investment Company, elevating total funding to approximately $3.4 billion and enabling accelerated production at its Florida facility. Despite this, high expenditures on satellite builds and launches led to a cash crisis; OneWeb filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States on March 30, 2020, after SoftBank declined further investment and negotiations for $2 billion in additional capital failed. The prompted a , with the government and Bharti Global injecting $1 billion in 2020—$500 million each—to rescue the company and retain its headquarters, marking a shift toward strategic governmental and enterprise backers over pure . Subsequent 2021 rounds added resilience: $400 million in January from SoftBank and ; $550 million in April from Communications, granting a significant equity stake; and $500 million in June from Bharti, positioning Bharti as the largest . These brought OneWeb's cumulative funding to nearly $4.93 billion across 13 rounds by late 2021. Eutelsat's deepening involvement evolved into a full merger, announced in July 2022 and finalized on September 28, 2023, via an all-share deal valuing OneWeb at $3.4 billion, creating Group with combined GEO and LEO capabilities. Post-merger, funding focused on constellation sustainability amid competition from ; Eutelsat raised €1.35 billion by June 2025 to finance OneWeb satellite replacements and aim for operational break-even. In the same month, the French government led a €1.56 billion capital increase to reduce and support 440 Gen-1 satellites at a planned cost of up to €2.2 billion starting late 2026. Bharti further increased its stake to 17.88% with additional in July 2025, reflecting ongoing reliance on key pre-merger allies. This progression underscores a transition from aggressive venture-led expansion to stabilized, government-supported financing for long-term viability.

Impact of Bankruptcy and Recovery Measures

OneWeb filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States on March 27, 2020, after exhausting its cash reserves and failing to secure approximately $2 billion in additional financing needed to deploy the remaining 90% of its planned 648-satellite low-Earth orbit constellation, with the disrupting investor confidence and capital markets. The filing, which affected its U.S. , preserved assets including 74 launched satellites and manufacturing contracts while allowing operations to continue under court supervision, but it triggered immediate layoffs of over 85% of its 531 employees and paused further launches, exposing vulnerabilities in the capital-intensive model reliant on rapid scaling. Recovery efforts culminated in OneWeb's emergence from on November 20, 2020, supported by $1 billion in fresh equity commitments: $500 million from the UK government for a 33% stake to bolster interests in sovereign connectivity; $500 million from ; and debt-to-equity conversions from prior creditors like SoftBank, which reduced its ownership from majority to minority. This restructuring enabled resumed launches via starting December 21, 2020, and later , accelerating deployment to 428 satellites by mid-2022 and over 630 by September 2023, restoring technical progress toward global coverage. The and subsequent recovery profoundly shaped the merged OneWeb entity's financial trajectory, as Eutelsat's $3.4 billion acquisition in September 2023 integrated a partially realized but debt-laden LEO network, prompting Eutelsat to suspend dividends for three fiscal years (2023-2025) to redirect €1.3 billion in toward completing OneWeb's first-generation constellation and initiating Gen-2 upgrades. Post-merger, OneWeb's slow ramp-up—generating negative EBITDA through 2024 due to deferred customer activations and high operational costs—contributed to Eutelsat's downgrade to BB in March 2025, with leverage ratios exceeding 5x amid €2.5 billion in net debt. Operationally, recovery measures preserved critical Ku-band spectrum priority rights, avoiding reassignment during insolvency and enabling differentiation in enterprise backhaul markets against competitors like , though disruptions from the halt forced diversification of manufacturing partners beyond . Strategically, the episode highlighted risks of over-reliance on venture funding for satellite megaconstellations, informing Eutelsat OneWeb's hybrid GEO-LEO model to blend mature geostationary revenues with LEO growth, while the government's retained stake ensured geopolitical alignment but added oversight on .

Merger Effects on Strategy and Finances

The merger between and OneWeb, completed on September 28, 2023, through an all-share transaction valuing OneWeb at $3.4 billion, fundamentally shifted Eutelsat's strategy toward a multi-orbit integrating geostationary (GEO) and low-Earth orbit (LEO) capabilities. This enabled the combined entity, rebranded as Group, to offer hybrid services combining GEO's high-throughput broadcasting with LEO's low-latency connectivity, targeting underserved markets in , maritime, , and enterprise sectors to compete more effectively against SpaceX's . The strategic pivot emphasized LEO expansion, including plans for OneWeb's second-generation satellites to enhance global coverage and capacity, while unifying branding and digital platforms in September 2025 to streamline customer access. Financially, the merger accelerated revenue diversification, with OneWeb's LEO operations projected to contribute €50 million in fiscal year 2023, €150–250 million in 2024, €300–500 million in 2025, and over €1 billion annually thereafter, supporting group-wide sales targets of $2 billion by 2027. Integration incurred elevated costs, including €73.4 million higher operating expenses in 2024–25 from full OneWeb consolidation and €246.6 million increased , straining short-term profitability. Leverage rose significantly, prompting a downgrade to BB- in February 2024 due to delayed OneWeb monetization amid competitive pressures. To address debt and fund LEO replenishment, Eutelsat pursued a €1.35 billion capital increase in June 2025, backed by the French state and shareholders, aiming to stabilize finances and enable OneWeb breakeven. Despite challenges, 2023–24 results showed LEO growth, underscoring synergies in connectivity .

Recent Revenue Growth and Projections

In 2024-25, ending June 30, 2025, Eutelsat Group's (LEO) segment, encompassing OneWeb operations, recorded revenues exceeding €180 million, marking growth of over 80% year-over-year and comprising approximately 15% of the group's total €1.244 billion in revenues. This surge was driven primarily by expanding government services and connectivity demand, offsetting declines in legacy (GEO) video revenues. For the first quarter of 2025-26, ending September 30, 2025, LEO revenues increased 70.7% year-over-year, contributing to connectivity vertical growth amid a 2.2% overall group decline to €293 million. The company's order backlog remained stable at €3.5 billion, equivalent to 2.8 times FY 2024-25 revenues, signaling sustained demand for OneWeb's services. Looking ahead, projects LEO revenues to grow by approximately 50% in FY 2025-26, fueled by further constellation expansion and commercial traction in maritime, , and enterprise sectors, though this will not yet fully offset GEO declines. All FY 2025-26 financial objectives, including stable operating verticals revenues, have been reaffirmed.

Controversies and Criticisms

Geopolitical and Security Disputes

In March 2022, Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos refused to launch a batch of 36 OneWeb satellites aboard a Soyuz rocket, citing geopolitical tensions following Western sanctions imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Roscosmos demanded that the UK government relinquish its minority stake in OneWeb and that the company provide written guarantees the satellites would not be used for military purposes against Russia. OneWeb rejected these conditions, viewing them as incompatible with its operations and international obligations. The standoff resulted in the satellites, valued at approximately $50 million, remaining stranded in Russia, along with the pre-paid launch vehicle. OneWeb subsequently shifted its launch contracts to , accelerating deployment despite the setback, which delayed but did not derail its constellation build-out targeting 588 satellites for global broadband. By March 2023, OneWeb's CEO indicated the company had effectively abandoned efforts to recover the assets, prioritizing network completion over prolonged litigation amid Russia's economic isolation from sanctions. Earlier security concerns surfaced in 2018 when Russia's opposed OneWeb's satellite internet service expansion into remote Russian regions, arguing it posed risks due to potential foreign intelligence access. This internal friction between the FSB and highlighted tensions over commercial satellite deals, as Roscosmos had secured a $1 billion contract for launches despite FSB reservations. These episodes underscore how OneWeb's Western ownership and global ambitions intersected with Russian state priorities on sovereignty and controls. Post-merger with in 2023, no major new geopolitical disputes have emerged, though the combined entity's emphasis on European sovereignty in low-Earth orbit connectivity positions it amid broader tensions over reliance on U.S.-dominated systems like , particularly in conflict zones such as . Russian actions reflect a pattern of leveraging commercial dependencies for strategic leverage, consistent with responses to sanctions rather than inherent satellite militarization.

Technical Outages and Reliability Issues

In late 2024, Eutelsat OneWeb experienced a significant service disruption affecting its (LEO) broadband network. The outage commenced at approximately 0000 UTC on December 31, 2024, and lasted 48 hours, rendering the OneWeb service unavailable across its constellation. The root cause was identified as a software in the ground segment, specifically a calculation error related to the 366th day of 2024. This issue impacted the manual computation of the GPS-to-UTC time offset, disrupting and operational commands to the satellites. confirmed the problem stemmed from legacy software not fully accounting for transitions, a that halted and connectivity for users reliant on the network. Services were fully restored by January 2, 2025, following manual interventions and software patches applied to the ground infrastructure. reported no lasting damage to the itself, attributing the incident solely to terrestrial systems rather than orbital hardware failures. The event drew attention to potential reliability risks in LEO operations, where dense constellations depend heavily on precise ground-based timing and control for beam and traffic management, though no prior major constellation-wide outages had been publicly disclosed for OneWeb prior to this.

Spectrum and Environmental Concerns

Eutelsat OneWeb's primarily utilizes the Ku-band (10.7-14.5 GHz) for user links and the Ka-band for gateway communications, raising concerns over potential interference with incumbent (GSO) satellite operators. In 2015, established satellite fleet operators expressed fears that OneWeb's planned 700 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites could unintentionally disrupt their services through spectrum sharing in these bands, prompting regulatory scrutiny by bodies like the FCC. More recently, Eutelsat OneWeb warned the FCC in 2024 that the impending sunset of certain interference protection rules for Ka-/Ku-band processing could introduce operational uncertainties for non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) applicants, including itself. Regulatory hurdles persist in key markets, such as , where Eutelsat OneWeb has advocated for administrative allocation of Ku-band rather than auctions favored by terrestrial telcos, amid debates over and capacity underestimation for satellite networks. As of September 2024, the company urged India's for provisional assignment pending final rules, highlighting delays in satcom rollout. The constellation's environmental impacts encompass space debris risks and orbital congestion in LEO, where mega-constellations like OneWeb's could exacerbate collision probabilities and contribute to a "tragedy of the commons" in shared orbital domains. A 2019 analysis projected that deploying OneWeb's full constellation could be mitigated through high post-mission disposal reliability (over 99%) and short deorbit times (under five years), reducing long-term debris accumulation, though active removal of failed satellites was recommended to further limit environmental degradation. Additional concerns include from satellite reflections disrupting ground-based astronomy, varying by latitude, season, and time, as well as emissions from frequent rocket launches supporting constellation replenishment. In response, Eutelsat OneWeb has committed to responsible practices, including satellite recycling and end-of-life deorbiting, and explored active debris removal for a failed satellite in 2021, while collaborating on ESA-led missions to remove defunct units. These measures aim to address the heightened collision risks in congested LEO environments posed by large-scale deployments.

Competitive Landscape

Primary Competitors and Differentiation

Eutelsat OneWeb's primary competitors in the low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband market are SpaceX's and Amazon's Project Kuiper, both deploying large constellations to provide global high-speed internet. , with over 7,000 satellites operational as of mid-2025, dominates consumer and residential segments through direct-to-user terminals and aggressive pricing. Project Kuiper, aiming for 3,236 satellites, targets underserved regions and enterprise integration with , with initial launches beginning in 2024 but full deployment lagging behind rivals. Traditional providers like Viasat and SES compete indirectly but struggle with higher latency, making them less viable for real-time applications. Eutelsat OneWeb differentiates through its enterprise-centric focus, prioritizing , maritime, , and telecom backhaul customers over residential users, offering service-level agreements (SLAs) for dedicated bandwidth and reliability unavailable in Starlink's model. Its 648-satellite constellation at 1,200 km altitude provides polar coverage and leverages Eutelsat's GEO assets for hybrid multi-orbit capacity, enabling seamless high-throughput switching for bandwidth-intensive enterprise needs. In contrast to Starlink's lower 550 km yielding latencies of 20-40 ms, OneWeb's higher altitude results in slightly elevated but still low latencies around 50-70 ms, balanced by emphasis on secure, sovereign data handling for regulated sectors. Against Project Kuiper, Eutelsat OneWeb holds an operational edge with its fully deployed constellation and established partnerships, such as with Bharti and , facilitating quicker market entry for B2B applications, while Kuiper's cloud-native architecture appeals to AWS-dependent enterprises but faces delays in scaling. This positioning allows OneWeb to capture niches in mobility and defense, where customization and integration with existing terrestrial networks provide competitive insulation from mass-market pricing wars.

Market Share and Strategic Responses

As of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Eutelsat OneWeb's low Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity services generated €187 million in revenue, comprising approximately 15% of the Eutelsat Group's total sales. Projections indicate this segment will expand to 22.5% of group revenue in the subsequent fiscal year, driven by demand in government, aeronautical, and maritime applications, including deployments supporting connectivity in Ukraine. In the broader satellite internet market, estimated at $14.56 billion for 2025, Eutelsat OneWeb holds a secondary position behind SpaceX's Starlink, which dominates with a far larger operational constellation and consumer-focused scale. To counter Starlink's market leadership, Eutelsat OneWeb has pursued a hybrid satellite architecture integrating its LEO constellation with geostationary orbit (GEO) assets, emphasizing redundancy and capacity for enterprise clients over direct consumer competition. This differentiation targets business aviation, maritime, and government sectors, where OneWeb has activated services such as in-flight connectivity partnerships. Funding initiatives form a core response, including a €1.35 billion capital raise in June 2025 led by French interests to replenish the OneWeb constellation and engage in the European Union's Iris² secure connectivity program, with total needs exceeding €4 billion by 2032. These efforts aim to secure sovereign European alternatives amid geopolitical pressures, though analysts note persistent funding gaps relative to Starlink's vertical integration advantages.

Lessons from Industry Dynamics

The satellite broadband sector's evolution through Eutelsat OneWeb's experiences illustrates the perils of , where constructing and launching a constellation of over 600 low-Earth satellites demands investments exceeding $3 billion, frequently outpacing generation during deployment phases. OneWeb's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on March 27, 2020, arose directly from SoftBank's refusal to provide further funding amid the economic disruptions, despite prior equity infusions totaling around $1.7 billion, exposing how overreliance on singular investors can cascade into existential threats without contingency reserves. Recovery via a $1 billion equity lifeline from the UK government, Bharti Global, and in November 2020, followed by the 2023 merger, demonstrates the stabilizing potential of sovereign and backing for geostrategically vital projects, yet also reveals that public funds often serve as bridges rather than panaceas in an industry where breakeven timelines stretch to a decade or more due to upfront capex dwarfing operational cash flows. This dynamic cautions against unchecked expansion without phased milestones tied to demonstrable service viability, as OneWeb's initial overambition in pursuing global coverage prior to full constellation strained liquidity irrespective of technological merits. Competitive pressures further amplify these fiscal vulnerabilities, with vertically integrated players like SpaceX's leveraging in-house manufacturing and reusable launches to undercut costs and achieve rapid scaling—deploying over 6,000 satellites by mid-2025—while Eutelsat OneWeb, dependent on outsourced production and diverse providers, pivots to enterprise, maritime, and polar niches for differentiation. Such segmentation sustains viability in high-margin B2B segments but underscores the lesson that lacking proprietary launch and satellite fabrication capabilities hampers price competitiveness and in commoditized , where dictate long-term survival amid intensifying rivalry from Chinese and European initiatives. Operational deployment hurdles, including launch dependencies and software intricacies, highlight the necessity for resilient supply chains; OneWeb's abrupt shift from Roscosmos Soyuz rockets post-2022 geopolitical fallout delayed missions but was offset by alternatives from (36 satellites via on February 28, 2023) and the , affirming that diversified orbital insertion strategies mitigate single-point failures inherent to geopolitically exposed providers. A 2025 48-hour network-wide outage, likely triggered by software glitches between user terminals and the constellation, further evidences the causal link between LEO's high-velocity handoffs—necessitating constant beam switching every few minutes—and reliability risks, compelling investments in AI-driven and multi-orbit hybrids like Eutelsat's GEO-LEO fusion to buffer against single-network frailties. In aggregate, these industry patterns enforce that LEO ventures thrive not merely on but on pragmatic alignment of financial fortitude, targeted , and adaptive , where deviations invite or marginalization, as evidenced by the sector's attrition rate favoring integrated incumbents over ambitious upstarts.

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