OneWeb turns to SpaceX for satellite launches
(2022/03/21)
- Reference: 1647878412
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/03/21/oneweb_spacex/
- Source link:
OneWeb will [1]resume construction of its communications satellite constellation courtesy of SpaceX's rockets.
The announcement comes weeks after the UK government-backed company [2]confirmed it would be suspending all launches from the Baikonur spaceport because of the conflict in Ukraine.
OneWeb was close to completing its constellation, aimed at providing high-speed and low-latency connectivity. Its fleet stands at 428 satellites, 66 per cent of the total, and had expected to complete the constellation this year. However, having sent up batches of 34 or 36 satellites a time on Russian Soyuz rockets, the fun came to an abrupt end after a [3]10 February launch from the Arianespace facility in Kourou, French Guiana.
[4]
The next launch was due from Baikonur on 5 March, but after increasingly shrill [5]demands from Russian space agency Roscosmos, including a call for the UK government to drop its stake in the company, OneWeb and its board voted to suspend the remaining six upcoming launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
[6]
[7]
It is unlikely the venerable Soyuz rocket will be pressed into service by Western firms any time soon. Roscosmos has also recalled its personnel from the Arianespace site.
[8]UK space firm Skyrora opens rocket testing site in Scotland
[9]NASA awaits approval of $24bn 2022 budget
[10]China launches test satellites for orbiting broadband service
[11]Global consultancies quit Russia
With each OneWeb satellite weighing in at around [12]150kg , there aren't that many alternative options for launching batches of 34 or 36 at time. The remaining flights of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V are spoken for and Arianespace is seeking to replace its Ariane 5 in the near future.
Enter SpaceX and its Falcon 9, which has continued putting Starlink satellites into orbit while OneWeb's spacecraft remain grounded. It's a surprising choice considering the rivalry between the companies (both of which aim to provide broadband via satellite), but also somewhat inevitable.
The first launch is expected this year, although the terms of the agreement with SpaceX are confidential at present. While OneWeb has not confirmed when that first launch will occur, it would seem unlikely to be before the second half of this year not least due to the suddenly increased workload of the Falcon 9 booster. It's handy, then, that the booster is reusable – SpaceX sent up another batch of Starlink satellites last weekend, marking the first time a Falcon 9 first stage had launched and returned 12 times.
[13]
Though OneWeb has managed to activate some of its network, a question mark hangs over the batch of satellites stranded in Baikonur following removal from their Soyuz launcher. The Register contacted OneWeb to learn their fate and will update if the company responds. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://oneweb.net/resources/oneweb-resume-satellite-launches-through-agreement-spacex
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/03/oneweb_roscosmos/
[3] https://oneweb.net/resources/oneweb-confirms-successful-launch-34-satellites-delivering-ongoing-momentum-start-2022
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1498986749409861633
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/17/skyrora_testing/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/10/nasa_2022_buget/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/08/china_leo_satellite_broadband/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/07/dxc_pwc_kpmg_accenture_quit_russia/
[12] https://oneweb.net/resources/oneweb-satellites-and-partners-oneweb-and-airbus-transform-space-industry-worlds-first
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The announcement comes weeks after the UK government-backed company [2]confirmed it would be suspending all launches from the Baikonur spaceport because of the conflict in Ukraine.
OneWeb was close to completing its constellation, aimed at providing high-speed and low-latency connectivity. Its fleet stands at 428 satellites, 66 per cent of the total, and had expected to complete the constellation this year. However, having sent up batches of 34 or 36 satellites a time on Russian Soyuz rockets, the fun came to an abrupt end after a [3]10 February launch from the Arianespace facility in Kourou, French Guiana.
[4]
The next launch was due from Baikonur on 5 March, but after increasingly shrill [5]demands from Russian space agency Roscosmos, including a call for the UK government to drop its stake in the company, OneWeb and its board voted to suspend the remaining six upcoming launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
[6]
[7]
It is unlikely the venerable Soyuz rocket will be pressed into service by Western firms any time soon. Roscosmos has also recalled its personnel from the Arianespace site.
[8]UK space firm Skyrora opens rocket testing site in Scotland
[9]NASA awaits approval of $24bn 2022 budget
[10]China launches test satellites for orbiting broadband service
[11]Global consultancies quit Russia
With each OneWeb satellite weighing in at around [12]150kg , there aren't that many alternative options for launching batches of 34 or 36 at time. The remaining flights of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V are spoken for and Arianespace is seeking to replace its Ariane 5 in the near future.
Enter SpaceX and its Falcon 9, which has continued putting Starlink satellites into orbit while OneWeb's spacecraft remain grounded. It's a surprising choice considering the rivalry between the companies (both of which aim to provide broadband via satellite), but also somewhat inevitable.
The first launch is expected this year, although the terms of the agreement with SpaceX are confidential at present. While OneWeb has not confirmed when that first launch will occur, it would seem unlikely to be before the second half of this year not least due to the suddenly increased workload of the Falcon 9 booster. It's handy, then, that the booster is reusable – SpaceX sent up another batch of Starlink satellites last weekend, marking the first time a Falcon 9 first stage had launched and returned 12 times.
[13]
Though OneWeb has managed to activate some of its network, a question mark hangs over the batch of satellites stranded in Baikonur following removal from their Soyuz launcher. The Register contacted OneWeb to learn their fate and will update if the company responds. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://oneweb.net/resources/oneweb-resume-satellite-launches-through-agreement-spacex
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/03/oneweb_roscosmos/
[3] https://oneweb.net/resources/oneweb-confirms-successful-launch-34-satellites-delivering-ongoing-momentum-start-2022
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1498986749409861633
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/17/skyrora_testing/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/10/nasa_2022_buget/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/08/china_leo_satellite_broadband/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/07/dxc_pwc_kpmg_accenture_quit_russia/
[12] https://oneweb.net/resources/oneweb-satellites-and-partners-oneweb-and-airbus-transform-space-industry-worlds-first
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YjivQndRm6F3wjBdPmG4XQAAAFI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Gene Cash
The major difference is OneWeb is targeting businesses and governments rather than individuals.
It's also putting fewer satellites (only 648) in a higher orbit, so there will be a bit more latency.
How much does SpaceX charge?
VoiceOfTruth
I realise to this (any?) government that spends tax payers' money cost is not a concern (how many tens of billions were thrown down the drain with the word 'covid' written on the cheques), but it would be good to know the terms of the SpaceX contract.
Re: How much does SpaceX charge?
Vulch
[1]67 million USD for a standard launch . Discounts available for booking multiple flights.
[1] https://www.spacex.com/media/Capabilities&Services.pdf
While I am sure SpaceX will offer reasonable rates for launches; one suspects that OneWeb versus Starlink is something of a losing battle!
Complementary rather than competing technologies would seem to be the way forward. What can OneWeb do that Starlink can't? Then concentrate on that sector.
Of course as it's largely taxpayer funded the outfit responsible doesn't actually give two hoots about commercial viability and even if it is a dead loss the government can flog a dead horse for all it is worth.