Bharti group-backed OneWeb announces successful launch of 34 more satellites

OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company backed by Bharti, has announced the launch of 34 satellites by Arianespace from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in southern Kazakhstan.

The latest launch brings the company's total in-orbit constellation to 288 satellites. OneWeb said it is on track to commence service this year and deliver global service in 2022.

The move highlights the business momentum as the company prepares to introduce commercial service and focus on scaling to global service.

"Bharti-backed OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, has confirmed the next successful launch of 34 satellites by Arianespace from the Baikonur Cosmodrome," the statement said.

The satellites would form part of OneWeb's 648 LEO satellite fleet that aim to deliver high-speed, low-latency global connectivity.

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"OneWeb remains on track to deliver global service in 2022 and is seeing growing demand from telecommunications providers, ISPs, and governments worldwide to offer its low-latency, high-speed connectivity services to the hardest to reach places," it said.

Since early 2021, OneWeb has announced distribution partnerships across various industries and businesses, most recently with Northwestel in Canada and BT in the UK.

OneWeb is fully-funded to deliver its constellation and take its satellites into commercial service, the statement informed.

Earlier in January 2021, Bharti Global and the UK government-led OneWeb said it has secured additional funding from SoftBank Group and Hughes Network Systems, taking the total funding for the broadband satellite communications company to $1.4 billion (over Rs 10,200 crore).

With the investment, SoftBank will get a seat on OneWeb's board.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)