The first batch of the 36 satellites for OneWeb will launch by the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) via its rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III (GSLV MkIII) at some point this month, according to a statement made earlier this week.
Notably, this information circulated only a few weeks after the OneWeb satellites landed in India for the launch. The first batch of the 36 satellites for OneWeb would be launched by ISRO by the third or fourth week of October 2022, according to the official release.
On the other hand, SpaceX and ISRO will launch the remaining 648 of OneWeb’s planned satellites. The launch of these satellites will also be a part of its global satellite internet network. They will fly in a relay mode and cover the entire planet once all of these satellites are in orbit. Additionally, internet connectivity is available through this network, mostly to different international businesses.
The connectivity provided here will put used for a variety of purposes, including backhaul bandwidth for telecom-based businesses to support their terrestrial networks as well as data analytics for forestry, mining, and agriculture.
It’s interesting to note that OneWeb is also receiving funding from Bharti Airtel, a major player in the Indian telecom business. OneWeb will soon face competition from Jio-SES and SpaceX, a satellite internet company run by Elon Musk.
