Page 61 - SAMENA Trends - October 2021

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OneWeb Launches 36 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite in Orbit

The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite com- “Once deployed, the OneWeb constellation services. It has raised $2.7 billion since
munications company OneWeb backed will enable user terminals that are capable November 2020, with no debt issuance.
by India-based Bharti Enterprises has of offering 3G, LTE, 5G and Wi-Fi coverage, OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between
launched 36 satellites, bringing the to- providing high-speed access globally – by OneWeb and Airbus Defence and Space, is
tal in-orbit constellation to 358 satellites, air, sea and land,” Arianespace said in a the constellation’s prime contractor. The
the company said. The satellites were statement. OneWeb aims to reach global satellites were built using its leading-edge
launched into orbit atop a Russian-built service by 2022 and is seeing growing de- satellite manufacturing process that can
Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cos- mand from telecommunications providers, build up to two satellites a day on a series
modrome in a mission operated by French ISPs, and governments worldwide to offer production line dedicated to the assembly,
company Arianespace. The Liftoff oc- its low-latency, high-speed connectivity integration, and testing of the satellites.
curred at 5.40 a.m. EDT (3.10 p.m. India
time). OneWeb is also one of the founding
members of the recently launched Indian
Space Association (ISpA). Rahul Vatts,
Chief Regulatory Officer Bharti Airtel and
Director — OneWeb India is the Vice Chair-
man of the ISpA. The London-based One-
Web is building a constellation of 648 LEO
satellites, which will deliver high-speed,
low-latency global connectivity. The new
mission had a total duration of three hours
and 51 minutes and included nine sepa-
rations of four satellites each, which will
raise themselves to their operational orbit.

FCC Reviewing Boeing LEO Satellite Application

Aerospace giant Boeing could be the to residential consumers, governmental Subsequently, in April this year, the FCC
next company to launch and operate a and professional users across the United voted to approve a SpaceX plan to deploy
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband States, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands’. 2,814 Starlink satellites at a lower earth
service, after the Federal Communications Back in March 2018 the FCC granted Elon orbit than planned; the satellites will
Commission (FCC) belatedly circulated Musk-backed SpaceX the authority to now operate in the 540km-570km range,
the company’s 2017 application for deploy and operate a non-geostationary rather than the 1,100km-1,300km range.
vote last week. According to Reuters, orbit (NGSO) satellite system comprising Interestingly, in 2019 SpaceX urged the FCC
Boeing seeks to launch and operate 147 4,425 satellites operating in the Ku- and to reject Boeing’s plan saying it presented
V-band satellites to provide ‘broadband Ka-bands for the provision of a fixed- a ‘clear danger of harmful interference’ to
internet and communications services satellite service (FSS) constellation. other systems.

SpaceX to Start Satellite Internet Service in Lithuania Next Year

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is expected to start an internet speed of at least 100 Mbps. expensive. [Starlink] technology is a great
providing high-speed satellite internet According to the company, Lithuania alternative,” the minister added. Lithuania
services to Lithuanian consumers in will be the easternmost country where aims to provide an internet speed of at
early 2022, according to the Lithuanian SpaceX will launch its services. “We aim least 100 Mbps to all its residents by 2025.
Transport Ministry. In February, the to create opportunities for residents and Starlink technology would allow achieving
Lithuanian Transport and Communications businesses in Lithuania to use innovative, this goal much faster, Skuodis said.
Minister Marius Skuodis met with SpaceX state-of-the-art technological solutions. Lithuania is able to provide new generation
representatives to discuss satellite internet We are glad that cooperation with SpaceX internet, with speeds of 30 Mbs or more, to
development in Lithuania. Following the will soon deliver results,” Skuodis said on around 69 percent of households, below
meeting, SpaceX established a subsidiary Thursday. “Building terrestrial internet the EU’s 86 percent average.
Starlink Lithuania. Starlink is preparing 20 networks to reach even the most remote
satellites to fly over Lithuania, providing corners of the country would be very
61 OCTOBER 2021