Article Posted on : - Mar 16, 2023

NEW DELHI (PTI): ISRO is all set to launch 36 low earth orbit satellites for UK-based OneWeb later this month that will complete its first-generation constellation for providing internet through space across the world.

"Exciting news from India as we confirm the encapsulation of our 36 satellites ahead of OneWebLaunch18; our final launch which will complete our Gen 1 constellation," OneWeb said on Twitter.

"Target date is March 26th Go OneWeb," Massimiliano Ladovaz, Chief Technology Officer of OneWeb, tweeted.

The private satellite communications company has India’s Bharti Enterprises as a major investor and shareholder.

The 36 satellites of OneWeb reached India on February 16 from the satellite manufacturing unit in Florida for integration with the Launch Vehicle Mark III.

In October last year, ISRO successfully launched the first batch of 36 satellites by OneWeb from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, marking the entry of LVM-3 into the global commercial launch service market.

NewSpace India, a central public sector enterprise under the department of space, had earlier signed two launch service contracts with the London-headquartered Network Access Associated Limited that runs OneWeb.