OneWeb constellation Greg Wyler, intended to disseminate affordable internet from space, has designed its contours with substantial fundraising, particularly with Airbus, and the launch of its satellite entrusted to Arianespace.
The start-up announced Thursday in London have raised $ 500 million with major international groups including Airbus Group, the satellite operator Intelsat and world number one, American designer of microchips Qualcomm, Coca-Cola and the Virgin Group of businessman Richard Branson.
It has also contracted with Arianespace to launch 672 900 OneWeb constellation satellites by 2019, a record for the European launcher.
“The dream of completely closing the digital divide is becoming a reality in 2019″, welcomed Greg Wyler. “We are determined to solve one of the biggest problems of the world – enabling access to affordable broadband Internet for everyone”
OneWeb The objective is to develop a global network. satellites to provide high-speed connectivity and low latency across the world.
This involves a constellation of microsatellites in low altitude to reduce latency and get equivalent quality to that of the fiber.
They will be launched by Arianespace, which carries out its largest contract and positions in the race to the constellations, most of the launches of the market in the years to come.
“This is obviously the largest contract ever signed by Arianespace,” commented the CEO of Arianespace Stéphane Israel.
The contract covers 29 launches, including 21 farms and could OneWeb of “customer first Ariane 6″, the future European launcher to replace the current Ariane 5 in 2020, he assured.
He said the order size of the contract is “more than 1 billion but less than 2 billion” dollars for 21 firm launches.
The first launch will take place end of 2017, with full deployment of the constellation goal before end of 2019
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“Almost all of the first generation is entrusted to us,” said Stéphane Israel. The remainder (39 missions with 1-3 satellites per mission) will be launched by Virgin Galactic of Richard Branson launcher.
OneWeb satellites, which weigh less than 150 kg each, will be launched on an almost polar orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers before? achieve their operational orbit at 1200 km.
The entire system provides a capacity of more than 10 terabits per second to rural areas around the world.
In the battle between the major industry players, including Google and SpaceX around the internet from space at an affordable price, OneWeb has taken a big step by drawing the contours and advancing a timetable Deployment its constellation.
These announcements came just days after the decision to select OneWeb Airbus Defence and Space for the production of 900 satellites for its constellation.
Greg Wyler will joined the board of OneWeb by Tom Enders, head of Airbus Group, alongside Richard Branson and Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm.
For the European aircraft manufacturer, is also the opportunity to develop connectivity on board its aircraft, a market that is about to take off in the coming years.
“Whether a remote point on Earth or in flight aboard an Airbus plane, you will be connected, “said Tom Enders, who is” a good business opportunity. “
In addition, the whole competition space, mainly between Americans and Europeans, which is played.
At the Paris Air Show, industry and the French government reached an agreement on the rise of Airbus Safran Lauchers (ASL), the joint venture of the two groups, with 74% in the capital of Arianespace.
Asked about the subject, Stéphane Israel reported that the discussions had been conducted separately. “Discussions with OneWeb have spent so completely separated with Airbus Satellite Arianespace on one side and the other. We have a duty of strict neutrality which we respect,” said he said.
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