Arianespace launches first large batch of OneWeb satellites on Soyuz rocket

WASHINGTON — A Soyuz rocket launched 34 small broadband satellites for OneWeb Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, marking the beginning of a multi-launch campaign for the company. 

The Russian rocket, whose launch was arranged by European launch provider Arianespace, lifted off at 4:43 p.m. Eastern on a mission lasting three hours and 45 minutes. 

The first two OneWeb’s spacecraft deployed about an hour and 10 minutes after liftoff. The rest are scheduled to deploy in groups of four about once every 20 minutes, with Soyuz’ Fregat upper-stage engine conducting brief firings in between each deployment. 

Soyuz, using a dispenser from Ruag Space, is releasing the satellites at 450 kilometers, from which they will use onboard electric propulsion to climb to their 1,200-kilometer operational orbit. Each satellite weighs 150 kilograms. 

The launch will expand OneWeb’s constellation of low Earth orbiting satellites to 40, following a first Soyuz launch almost a year ago that carried six satellites.

Adrian Steckel, OneWeb’s chief executive, told SpaceNews the company has another batch of 34 satellites launching from Baikonur in March before the company plans to take a month-long break to upgrade a satellite component. After that pause, OneWeb plans to launch once in May and once in June before potentially shifting out of a monthly launch cadence, he said.

Steckel said OneWeb still plans to achieve global coverage by the end of 2021. The company is building its satellites in Florida through a joint venture with Airbus Defence and Space called OneWeb Satellites. 

OneWeb plans to conduct 17 or 18 Soyuz launches with Arianespace, plus the maiden flight of Ariane 6, to launch 588 satellites, Steckel said. After those launches, OneWeb will pause again before deciding when to launch 60 spares, completing the 648-satellite first-generation constellation, he said. 

Arianespace is launching the vast majority of OneWeb’s first-generation constellation using Soyuz rockets from Europe’s Guiana Space Center in South America and Russia’s Baikonur and Vostochny Cosmodromes. Thursday’s OneWeb launch is Arianespace’s first mission from Baikonur in seven years, and marks the 50 Soyuz launch the Evry, France-based company has provided. 

source: spacenews.com