On Saturday, February 27th, rival space internet provider OneWeb completed its second successful launch of its satellite constellation, destined to cover the entire globe with broadband internet. This launch, made possible by Arianespace, is aimed at providing internet access to people in remote areas around the world, from Peru to Afghanistan.
OneWeb’s internet service has been in development since 2016, with the primary goal to create reliable, low-cost internet access via a constellation of small low-orbit satellites. The company has stated that its service will be cheaper than current satellite internet and satellite options provided by OneWeb’s larger competitor, SpaceX.
The satellites were launched on an Ariane 5 rocket that also carried two other satellites into orbit. The launch, which lifted off from French Guiana, put the satellite constellation into a low orbit of 540 km above the Earth. OneWeb stated that this low orbit allows for short travel times, as well as improved signal repeat times.
This launch brings OneWeb’s satellite count up to 48, of the 648 that it plans to launch in the coming years. The company expects to have the necessary satellites in place to provide global coverage in 2021. In addition, OneWeb plans to use its satellite constellation to provide communication services in the 70 remote regions of the world that lack the necessary infrastructure.
The success of this launch has brought OneWeb and SpaceX too much closer in the internet race, as they now compete to provide satellite-based global internet services. While SpaceX’s Starlink project has been around since 2017, it is still only delivering service in specific locations.
OneWeb’s successful launch puts them at the front of the satellite-based internet race, as they have now completed their second launch, and have plans for many more. If this current successful streak continues, it is likely that OneWeb will be the first to bring reliable and low-cost internet access to large parts of the world.
It remains to be seen if OneWeb’s service can live up to the expectations of users and if it can outpace SpaceX’s Starlink project. However, with the successful launch of 48 satellites, OneWeb is poised to gain the early lead in providing reliable and low-cost internet access from space.
