Each launch is a group effort, and today’s success would not have been possible without the dedication of the entire launch team and our partners here in Florida.”
“Now more than ever, OneWeb is dedicated to continuing the momentum we have garnered from the past 17 successful launches, to innovate alongside our trusted partners and deliver connectivity solutions at scale. “Today’s launch is an exciting milestone as we are now just one mission away from completing our Gen 1 constellation, which will activate global service in 2023,” said Neil Masterson, CEO of OneWeb, in a statement. OneWeb plans to launch nearly 650 satellites in total for its first-generation network, including spares. That launch, scheduled for March 26, will put OneWeb over the 588-satellite threshold needed for global internet coverage. OneWeb also has one more launch on an Indian GSLV Mk.3 rocket scheduled later this month with 36 more internet satellites. OneWeb has reported two failed satellites in its constellation, meaning the launch Thursday brought the tally of active OneWeb spacecraft to 582. With the 40 spacecraft on Thursday’s mission, OneWeb has launched 584 satellites to date on 17 rockets - 13 Soyuz flights, three SpaceX Falcon 9s, and one Indian GSLV Mk.3. OneWeb has another reservation with SpaceX for a rideshare mission with Iridium later this year.
The mission, SpaceX’s 16th flight of the year overall, was the third and final planned dedicated Falcon 9 launch for OneWeb, which switched launch providers from Russia’s Soyuz rocket to SpaceX and Indian rockets last year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday with 40 more internet satellites for rival OneWeb, followed eight minutes later by the landing of the rocket’s first stage booster back at the Florida spaceport.
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