Eutelsat Selects Arianespace for Two Upcoming OneWeb LEO Launches
The two dedicated Ariane 64 launches are are scheduled in 2027 and 2028.
(Paris, France) Eutelsat (ETL.PA) announced this morning (Sept. 10) that it has selected launch provider Arianespace to conduct two dedicated launches for its OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation.
Image of an Arianespace Ariane 64 rocket launch courtesy of Eutelsat.
The missions – scheduled for 2027 and 2028 – will launch OneWeb satellites aboard Ariane 64 rockets – the most powerful version of Ariane 6 – from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, according to today’s press release from Eutelsat.
The two missions support Eutelsat’s plan to progressively renew the OneWeb constellation and ensure service continuity of its LEO services, with 440 satellites already procured and under construction, according to Eutelsat.
The missions will also support preparations for the next phase of Eutelsat’s LEO roadmap, including in the IRIS2 programme, according to Eutelsat.
Per Eutelsat, Arianespace has thus far supported the expansion of Eutelsat’s GEO fleet and the initial deployment of OneWeb — the new missions extend that longstanding relationship, bringing together strategic European capabilities in satellite communications and access to space.
“Access to space is a critical enabler for a satellite operator,” said Eutelsat CEO Jean-François Fallacher. “Eutelsat and Arianespace have a long and important history in both GEO and LEO, and we are delighted to take this partnership into its next chapter. These launches will play an important role as we renew OneWeb and secure the long-term future of our LEO network. They also bring together two critical European capabilities — satellite connectivity and access to space — reinforcing Europe’s resilience and independence in space.”
David Cavaillolès, CEO of Arianespacesaid, “We are particularly proud to be working with Eutelsat once again, having supported the deployment of OneWeb from its earliest stages. This agreement opens a new chapter in the shared history of Arianespace and Eutelsat, while demonstrating Ariane 6’s ability to meet the needs of large LEO constellations. It also goes to the heart of our mission: giving Europe autonomous access to space and the launch capability to deploy its most strategic infrastructure.”
