OneWeb Satellites Set to Provide Global Broadband by 2023
Well, it seems like OneWeb has finally launched the last of its satellites – you know, after going through a minor hiccup of filing for bankruptcy last year. Mysteriously the company seems to be making a comeback with its “constellation” of 616 satellites. At least they’re on track to provide global broadband coverage by the end of 2023. With a bunch of machines orbiting the Earth, what could possibly go wrong? It’s not like they could malfunction and rain down destruction on us or anything. Nope, not at all.
OneWeb is planning to shower the lower 48 US states with broadband coverage from their fleet of speedy spacecraft. And what could possibly go wrong with that? who doesn’t want their internet beamed down from a bunch of high-flying metal boxes. And to top it off, the launch was conducted by the Indian Space Research Organization, so we can rest assured that everything will go smoothly.
The Global Space Race: OneWeb vs. Starlink vs. Project Kuiper
It lovely how the UK government and Indian telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Group swooped in to save OneWeb from bankruptcy. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact that OneWeb plans to offer global broadband coverage by the end of 2023, bringing in a potential windfall of profits. And they’ve certainly attracted a whole host of investments from SoftBank Group Corp. Hanwha Systems Co., Hughes Satellite Systems Corp., and Eutelsat SA. With $900 million in contracted revenues, they’re well on their way to breaking even by 2025.
It’s always so heartwarming to see the world come together in a new space race to provide broadband coverage across the globe. It’s like the Cold War all over again, but with less nukes and more satellites. And of course, we have the big players like Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper already in the game, making deals left and right. But let’s not forget about OneWeb, the second biggest low-earth orbit or “LEO” system after Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. with their massive fleet of over 3,000 satellites in orbit.
OneWeb Plans Second Wave of Satellites Costing $4 Billion
How kind of OneWeb’s CEO, Neil Masterson, is to downplay any rivalry with SpaceX. After all, there’s no need to compete when you’re targeting different markets. SpaceX can have the consumers, and OneWeb can have the enterprise and government clients. It’s a win-win! And it’s nice to hear that OneWeb has even used Elon Musk’s rockets to send up their own satellites. Although their previous launch with France’s Arianespace SA was derailed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It looks like OneWeb isn’t satisfied with just one fleet of satellites. They’re already planning a second wave of several hundred extra satellites, which could cost a small $4 billion. Who needs that kind of money when you’re trying to cover the entire globe with internet coverage. And it’s not like there are any other pressing issues in the world that could use that kind of funding. Nope, let’s just keep launching more and more satellites into space. And OneWeb is already reaching out to potential “Gen 2” suppliers in the second quarter.
OneWeb Satellites Joins the Space Race for Global Broadband Coverage
In conclusion, OneWeb is finally up and running in the global broadband market after the successful launch of its final 36 satellites. As a result, the company can now offer broadband coverage to businesses and government customers in the US. And eventually the rest of the world. There’s already plenty of competition in this space, with players like Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper already vying for customers. But OneWeb has a different strategy, targeting enterprise and government clients, which could help set it apart from its rivals. It remains to be seen how successful OneWeb will be in this market. but one thing’s for sure: the space race for global broadband coverage is heating up, and it’s going to be an interesting ride.
