India moves 36 OneWeb craft to launch site
March 21, 2023
By Chris Forrester
OneWeb’s upcoming launch of 36 satellites is being readied by India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It has moved the launch rocket and its 36-craft cargo to the launch pad.
The actual launch, subject to the usual weather conditions, is scheduled for this coming Sunday, March 26.
It will be the 18th launch for OneWeb, and the second handled by India. The launch will be aboard ISRO’s powerful LVM-!!! Rocket (Launch Vehicle Mk-III) and from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9 am local time.
The rocket will take the satellites into a low Earth orbit where they will then use their own propulsion to move to their target destinations at 1,200 kms in altitude.
The launch will wrap Phase 1 of OneWeb’s 600-craft orbital scheme.
OneWeb itself is in the process of being ‘merged’ with Paris-based operator Eutelsat. OneWeb, currently backed by the British government, Bharti Enterprises, Eutelsat, SoftBank, Hughes Networks and Hanwha, has already launched broadband Internet connectivity to clients in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the UK and other locations in northern Europe.