INDIA: OneWeb launched a batch of satellites with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) a few months prior, and the UK-based business then shipped a second batch to India.
An Antonov aircraft carrying the second shipment of 36 satellites departed the company’s UK location on Wednesday.
In March of this year, ISRO is expected to launch the satellites aboard LVM-3. For the launch, ISRO changed the launch vehicles from GSLV-MkIII to LVM-3.
“In preparation for our planned launch with ISRO, our satellites have now been loaded.” “As a sign of how near we are to having really worldwide connection, this is the last time we will load an Antonov aeroplane with our Gen1 satellites.” As the plane took off, OneWeb tweeted.
The first batch of 36 satellites was launched by ISRO from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota in October last year.
The launch is a component of two launch service agreements for the satellites with M/s Network Access Associated Limited (M/s OneWeb).
In order to reach 542 satellites, or more than 80% of its Gen1 constellation, OneWeb recently completed its 16th launch to date on a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX in Florida.
According to a statement from the firm, “OneWeb remains on target to launch global coverage in 2023, while its connectivity solutions are already live in the wider Arctic region, including Canada, Alaska, the UK, and beyond.”
Once in India, the satellites will be coupled and connected with the LVM-3 and put through important tests to determine whether the mission is still valid.
OneWeb had partnered with Isro and SpaceX after Russia refused to provide launch services as a result of the Ukraine War and Western Sanctions.
As soon as the Russian space agency presented its requests to the UK government in order to launch the satellite, the Soyuz rocket was wheeled out on the launch pad at the Kazakhstani Baikonur Cosmodrome, which is run by Russia.
OneWeb’s satellites must not be used for military reasons, according to the requests, and the UK government must stop investing in OneWeb.
Also Read: NASA and ISRO to Launch a Space Mission This Year
