ISRO and OneWeb today confirmed the successful deployment of 36 satellites launched by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This launch by ISRO and NSIL is one of the biggest commercial orders by India’s premier space organization, and the first using the LVM3 rocket.
The lift-off took place on Sunday, 23rd October 2022 at 00.07hrs local time. A total of 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites of about 150 kg each totaling about 5,796 kg were launched to a circular low-earth orbit of about 601 km with a87.4 degree inclination.
The separation of satellites involved a unique maneuver of the cryogenic stage to orientation and re-orientation, covering 9 phases spanning 1 hour and 15 minutes. OneWeb confirmed the acquisition of signals from the satellites.
This is OneWeb’s 14th launch, bringing the constellation to 462 satellites. This launch represents more than 70% of its planned 648 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity worldwide.
With only four more launches to go, OneWeb said that it is on track to activate global coverage in 2023, while its connectivity solutions are already live in regions north of 50-degrees latitude.
This partnership with NSIL and ISRO demonstrates OneWeb’s commitment to provide connectivity across the length and breadth of India by 2023. OneWeb’s commitment to enhance connectivity in India is backed by Bharti Global, its largest investor.