UK OneWeb To Launch 1,980 Satellites To Orbit To Provide Global Internet Access -President

UK company OneWeb plans to deliver to orbit almost 2,000 satellites in order to provide global Internet access, while 600 satellites will be launched within the first phase, OneWeb President Greg Wyler said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2019) UK company OneWeb plans to deliver to orbit almost 2,000 satellites in order to provide global internet access, while 600 satellites will be launched within the first phase, OneWeb President Greg Wyler said on Thursday.

"The number one question I get is: 'how many satellites will OneWeb launch?' (Short Answer: 1980) ... In phase 1 we launch the satellites needed to achieve global coverage. Currently set at 600 satellites ... There is focus on this number because it is what it takes to achieve global coverage and coincidentally where the company reaches enough profitability to self-fund growth," Wyler posted on Twitter, emphasizing that 600 satellites is the minimum number.

Wyler explained that OneWeb aimed to launch 55 satellites on each of the 36 orbital planes, specifying that this number of satellites had been chosen since new satellites should not interfere with those launched before.

After having launched 600 Generation 1 satellites, OneWeb will then continue launching Generation 1 satellites until their total number reaches 900. Meanwhile, the company will focus on finalizing the design of Generation 2 satellites, and it will also "prepare and validate the supply chains and build the tooling and manufacturing lines."

"The Gen2 [Generation 2] satellites will have at least 50x more throughput than Gen1, and likely take us through 1980 satellites. When? Developing a supply chain where every part is new and reliable enough for space takes (at least) a few years!" Wyler added.

OneWeb is currently implementing its project aimed at creating a constellation of communication satellites that would provide broadband Internet access worldwide.