OneWeb, the parent company of a Space Coast satellite manufacturing facility, signed a deal with SpaceX to launch internet satellites that had previously flown on Russian Soyuz rockets, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.
In a brief statement, OneWeb on Monday said it entered into an agreement with SpaceX to fly its internet-beaming satellites starting later this year. The company did not offer details on pricing and did not say which of the sites – Florida or California – would host the launches.
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“Terms of the agreement with SpaceX are confidential,” OneWeb said.
OneWeb is one of several companies involved in building space-based internet connectivity. Its mini-fridge-sized spacecraft are built by subsidiary OneWeb Satellites at Kennedy Space Center, then delivered to the launch site. Its low-Earth orbit constellation stands at 428.
OneWeb had been flying its payloads from Kazakhstan on Russian Soyuz rockets. But the relationship with Russia soured after the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions were imposed by one of OneWeb’s owners: the U.K. government.
In response, Russian officials said OneWeb would have to make two changes if it wanted to continue flying its satellites: end its relationship with the U.K. government and guarantee that its space-based internet won’t be used for military purposes.
In response, OneWeb pulled out of its deal with Russia.
The company is now flying its internet payloads with SpaceX, technically one of its rivals in the satellite internet world. SpaceX’s Starlink constellation stands at more than 2,000 satellites in orbit and has hundreds of thousands of users already connected. OneWeb, on the other hand, says its network is aimed more toward heavy users like telecom providers, aviation and maritime industries, and governments.
“We thank SpaceX for their support, which reflects our shared vision for the boundless potential of space,” OneWeb CEO Neil Masterson said in a statement. “With these launch plans in place, we’re on track to finish building out our full fleet of satellites and deliver robust, fast, secure connectivity around the globe.”
Standing at 428 satellites, OneWeb says its constellation is 66% complete. It remains to be seen how often the company will need to fly missions after completion due to orbital decay, malfunctions, or satellite aging.
In the meantime, OneWeb said it hopes to continue activating service for the first batch of eligible customers.
“OneWeb has activated service with its network at the 50th parallel and above, and early partners are initiating service,” OneWeb said.