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Britain-based tech company OneWeb launched 36 communications satellites into space from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, live broadcasts showed.
OneWeb has been launching satellites into orbit as part of its plans to deliver global high-speed internet access.
Mission Success!
We are thrilled to have ended the year with another successful launch, with contact received from all 36 satellites. We have now launched over 60% of our constellation!
Thanks to all our team and distribution partners for a great year!https://t.co/jn9YhCSlJe pic.twitter.com/vue4UBQW4I
— OneWeb (@OneWeb) December 27, 2021
“Launch #12 represents the last in a sequence of eight launches scheduled in 2021 by OneWeb with launch partners Arianespace,” the company said on its website. French global launch services company Arianespace, Oneweb and Russia’s space agency Roscosmos all broadcast the launch.
Earlier this year, OneWeb said a launch from Russia’s Far East would allow it to offer everywhere north of 50 degrees latitude.
OneWeb has listed the United Kingdom, Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, continental US, the Arctic Seas and Canada as areas that should be offered full connectivity.
The Interfax news agency said the satellites, launched aboard a Soyuz-2.1b rocket, would be separated in stages.
OneWeb resumed flights last December after emerging from bankruptcy protection with $1 billion (roughly Rs. 7,490 crore) in equity investment from a consortium of the British government and India’s Bharti Enterprises, its new owners.
It has also received investment from Japan’s Softbank and Eutelsat Communications, and further financing from Bharti. OneWeb has secured $2.4 billion in total.
© Thomson Reuters 2021