OneWeb confirmed plans to launch a further 36 satellites into Low Earth Orbit on 26th April as part of its sixth launch. The launch will be conducted by Arianespace from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Lift-off will take place on April 25 at 23:14 BST and the mission to insert the satellites into initial orbit—prior to raising to operational orbit is expected to last approximately four hours.
The planned launch will bring OneWeb’s total in-orbit constellation to 182 satellites and is the third launch in OneWeb’s ‘Five to 50’ programme, to deliver its connectivity solution to reach regions north of 50 degrees latitude by June 2021.
OneWeb’s ‘Five to 50’ programme aims to connect broadband data users in the northern hemisphere, with services covering the U.K., Alaska, Northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, the Artic Seas and Canada. Service will be ready to start by the end of year, with global service available in 2022.