India announces OneWeb launch

A huge Indian rocket (GSLV Mk3) will launch in October, followed by another launch in January 2023, delivering satellites for the OneWeb low-Earth orbiting mega-constellation.

Dr S Somanath, Chairman of India's Space Research Organisation (ISRO), verified the order from OneWeb and noted that the October launch will be the rocket's first flight.

The GSLV Mk3 rocket is a bigger variant of the well-known PSLV rocket. PSLV can transport payloads weighing up to 1750 kg, whereas the more powerful GSLV can lift up to 4 tonnes and deploy them in geostationary transfer orbit.

Hughes Network Systems LLC (Hughes), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, and OneWeb, the low-earth orbit satellite communications company, have announced a strategic six-year distribution partner agreement to provide low Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity services across India. The agreement between OneWeb and Hughes Communications India Private Ltd. (HCIPL), a joint venture between Hughes and Bharti Airtel Limited ("Airtel"), comes after the businesses signed a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2021.

As India's top satellite broadband provider, HCIPL is ideally positioned to supply services to corporate and government with OneWeb capability, particularly in locations where fibre access is not available. OneWeb will connect towns, villages, and local and regional municipalities in the most difficult-to-reach locations, therefore bridging the digital gap.

Partho Banerjee, president and managing director, HCIPL, said: “This announcement marks a turning point for Digital India. Enterprise and government customers, including telecom service providers, banks, factories, schools, defense organizations, domestic airlines, and offshore vessel operators, are eagerly anticipating the arrival of new high performing satcom services. We look forward to bringing them high-speed, low-latency services from HCIPL using OneWeb capacity—and catapulting India to the cutting edge of connectivity.”

Neil Masterson, CEO, OneWeb, commented: “OneWeb is delighted to partner with Hughes to offer high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband solutions and contribute to the Digital India vision. OneWeb’s constellation will cover the length and breadth of India, from Ladakh to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to the Northeast and bring secure solutions to enterprises, governments, telcos, airline companies and maritime customers. OneWeb will invest in setting up enabling infrastructure such as Gateways and PoPs in India to light up the services.”