Soyuz successfully orbits 34 OneWeb satellites from Guiana Space Centre
Thursday 10 February, Soyuz accomplished a flawless 27th flight and its first successful launch of the year from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG), Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana, sending into polar orbit 34 new satellites in the OneWeb constellation for global operator OneWeb.
With a launch mass of 5,495 kg, the 34 new satellites were fabricated by Airbus Defence & Space in Merritt Island, Florida, using its leading-edge manufacturing process capable of building up to two satellites a day on a series assembly, integration and testing line. They take the total number of OneWeb satellites in orbit to 428.
The OneWeb constellation is set to deliver high-speed, low-latency Internet connectivity services to a wide range of sectors including aviation, shipping, backhaul, government, emergency response and more.
OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture of OneWeb and Airbus Defence & Space, is the constellation prime contractor. OneWeb’s constellation seeks to bring connectivity to every place fibre cannot reach, thereby bridging the digital divide.
After the launch, CNES Chairman & CEO Philippe Baptiste commented: “This latest successful launch for Soyuz from the Guiana Space Centre is a great source of satisfaction for all of the teams involved and brings the OneWeb constellation’s entry into service that much closer. It not only confirms Soyuz’s ability to launch multiple satellites, but also that Europe’s range of launchers is geared to the requirements of the global market. I would like to warmly congratulate all of our partners at OneWeb, Airbus Defence & Space, ESA, Arianespace, Starsem and European and Russian manufacturers, and of course the teams at CNES who developed and operate the Soyuz launch system at the CSG.”
cp008-2022_-_vs27_oneweb_-_succes_va.pdf (pdf - 106.92 KB)CONTACTS
Olivia Baumann Press Officer Tel. +33 (0)1 44 76 76 77 olivia.baumann@cnes.fr
Pascale Bresson Press Officer Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 75 39 pascale.bresson@cnes.fr
Raphaël Sart Head of Media Tel: +33 (0)1 44 76 74 51 raphael.sart@cnes.fr
