It appears due to recent US-Ukraine shenanigans, europe is waking up to the need for a non-US centric system of similar capability, possibly beyond IRIS2. Is this enough of a tailwind to get OneWeb up to a new level? Will it perhaps provide some anchor customer needs for new european launchers?
Quote from: Asteroza on 03/04/2025 12:05 amIt appears due to recent US-Ukraine shenanigans, europe is waking up to the need for a non-US centric system of similar capability, possibly beyond IRIS2. Is this enough of a tailwind to get OneWeb up to a new level? Will it perhaps provide some anchor customer needs for new european launchers?The problem with OneWeb & Europe is that the UK Government holds a significant portion (a "Golden Share" IIRC) of OneWeb, and the UK has declared itself to be proudly Not Part of Europe through Brexit. This puts OneWeb and the EU in a difficult spot, since the EU definitely wants an independent European system, but OneWeb isn't considered European enough.That is of course only a political problem, but there don't seem to be too many political solutions a.t.m.: * The Brits could undo Brexit, but that seems extraordinarily unlikely * The EU Commission could declare OneWeb to be "European enough", but that would involve too many Eurocrats & EU politicians 'swallowing a dead rat' to make that IMO a likely outcome * Some sort of compromise, for example maybe the UK could rejoin ESA or some such, that could allow enough political wriggle room to allow practicality to overcome principle.It's complicated
Quote from: Kiwi53 on 03/05/2025 01:18 amQuote from: Asteroza on 03/04/2025 12:05 amIt appears due to recent US-Ukraine shenanigans, europe is waking up to the need for a non-US centric system of similar capability, possibly beyond IRIS2. Is this enough of a tailwind to get OneWeb up to a new level? Will it perhaps provide some anchor customer needs for new european launchers?The problem with OneWeb & Europe is that the UK Government holds a significant portion (a "Golden Share" IIRC) of OneWeb, and the UK has declared itself to be proudly Not Part of Europe through Brexit. This puts OneWeb and the EU in a difficult spot, since the EU definitely wants an independent European system, but OneWeb isn't considered European enough.That is of course only a political problem, but there don't seem to be too many political solutions a.t.m.: * The Brits could undo Brexit, but that seems extraordinarily unlikely * The EU Commission could declare OneWeb to be "European enough", but that would involve too many Eurocrats & EU politicians 'swallowing a dead rat' to make that IMO a likely outcome * Some sort of compromise, for example maybe the UK could rejoin ESA or some such, that could allow enough political wriggle room to allow practicality to overcome principle.It's complicatedI agree, just noting that the UK is still an ESA member state. ESA is not an agency nor under the jurisdiction of the EU.
* The EU Commission could declare OneWeb to be "European enough", but that would involve too many Eurocrats & EU politicians 'swallowing a dead rat' to make that IMO a likely outcome
Eutelsat Signs €1 Billion Contract with the French Ministry of the Armed ForcesBy Pierre BoutinSatellite operator Eutelsat has signed a ten-year contract with the French government to provide connectivity services to the armed forces, which will benefit from priority access to the OneWeb constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO).Eutelsat states that the agreement is worth approximately €1 billion. The operator will provide its space resources, host ancillary missions for the French armed forces, and provide operational and security maintenance.The agreement also provides for the modernization and security of the constellation for military use. Eutelsat explains that this partnership reaffirms its commitment to the European IRIS2 initiative (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnection and Security via Satellite), a multi-orbit internet constellation supported by the European Union.The contract is also part of the NEXUS program, launched by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, which strengthens the current model of military space communications by combining civil and military resources.For Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of Eutelsat, this agreement underscores the "crucial role" of his company's low-Earth orbit capabilities: "Eutelsat is currently the only commercial operator with a LEO constellation capable of meeting strict military standards, prior to the deployment of IRIS2."This agreement also extends a partnership signed earlier this month with Orange, which gives the operator access to Eutelsat's satellite services to complement its terrestrial infrastructure.
France Doubles Its Stake in Eutelsat Following a Capital IncreaseBy Pierre BoutinEutelsat will receive a capital injection of €1.35 billion following an investment from the French government and other shareholders. The objective is to position the space operator as a credible European alternative to Elon Musk's Starlink.The French government will finance the majority of the fundraising. It will thus become Eutelsat's largest shareholder with a stake of around 30%, more than doubling its current share of 13.6%. Paris will inject approximately €717 million, while other shareholders (including India's Bharti) will contribute the remainder by the end of the year. The British government, also a shareholder, could join the operation at a later date.With this capital increase, Eutelsat expects to reduce its net debt ratio to 2.5 by the end of the fiscal year, while addressing an estimated financing gap of €4 billion.Since the acquisition of OneWeb in 2023, Eutelsat has been considered Europe's main hope to rival SpaceX's Starlink. However, the company must invest massively to modernize its low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation and contribute to financing the European IRIS2 space program, which is estimated to cost around €2 billion.In a press release, Eutelsat emphasized that it is one of only two global operators with an active commercial satellite fleet in low-Earth orbit, enabling it to play a strategic role in critical areas such as military communications, cybersecurity, and secure government connections.For CEO Jean-François Fallacher, his company is "ready to become a central player in the development of tomorrow's European space sovereignty." The financial agreement follows shortly after the signing of a contract worth up to €1 billion to provide connectivity to the French armed forces.
Shares in Eutelsat were down by more than 7% earlier in the day, before closing the session 5.7% lower.The moves come following a Reuters report that SoftBank has sold 36 million rights, which would correspond to around 26 million shares and around half its stake in the satellite operator....After soaring more than 600% in early March this year, as Europe scrambled to bolster its tech sovereignty in the wake of the U.S. cutting military support to Ukraine, Eutelsat shares have since dropped more than 70%.
Eutelsat has awarded Airbus Defence and Space a contract to build a further 340 OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Together with the previous batch of 100 satellites procured in December 2024, the total number of satellites ordered is up to 440.The satellites will be manufactured at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility on a newly installed production line, with delivery from the end of 2026.Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network delivers high-speed, low-latency connectivity on a global basis. With over 600 satellites flying in 12 synchronised orbital planes 1,200km above the Earth, the constellation brings high-speed internet to every corner of the planet. The availability of these latest satellites will assure full operational continuity for customers of the constellation, progressively replacing early batches coming to end of operational life.Furthermore, they will integrate technology upgrades including advanced digital channelizers, enabling enhanced onboard processing capabilities as well as greater efficiency and flexibility. They incorporate optimized architecture designed to maximize long-term operational performance. With these latest satellites, Eutelsat will also be evaluating opportunities for new business cases, notably through embarkation capabilities for hosted payloads.
On 17 December 2024, Eutelsat awarded Airbus the first contract under the new structure, agreeing to purchase 100 satellites, with production expected to begin in early 2026 and deliveries slated to start by the end of that year. On 12 January 2026, Eutelsat expanded that initial order by a further 340 satellites, bringing the total to 440, with deliveries still expected to begin before the end of 2026.
Andrew Parsonson@AndrewParsonson·Eutelsat has awarded Airbus a contract to build 340 additional OneWeb satellites, bringing its total order to 440.
Vincent Lamigeon@VincentLamigeon·Translated from FrenchEutelsat orders about ten launches from MaiaSpace to deploy a portion of the 440 new OneWeb satellites. Launches scheduled from late 2027 to 2029. MaiaSpace thus secures 50% of the planned launches over the period.
Eutelsat Awards MaiaSpace Multi-Launch Contract for OneWeb SatellitesFrench rocket builder MaiaSpace has signed an agreement with Eutelsat to perform multiple launches to support the expansion of the company’s OneWeb satellite constellation....On 15 January, MaiaSpace announced that it had secured a multi-launch agreement with Eutelsat to deliver satellites for its OneWeb constellation to low Earth orbit. According to the release, the agreement has the potential to account for “the majority of [the] Maia launch manifest during the first three years of operation.”
Can anyone explain the Eutelsat Maiaspace launch deal?The Maia launcher is a light-weight launcher, and cannot launch many non-nano satellites at a time. OneWeb sats are heavy enough that they were originally launched on medium launch vehicles with tens of satellites launched at a time. I don't see how the economics work for using Maia since it can probably only launch one OneWeb sat at a time.
Quote from: StraumliBlight on 01/20/2026 03:49 pmQuote from: WmThomas on 01/20/2026 03:15 pmCan anyone explain the Eutelsat Maiaspace launch deal?The Maia launcher is a light-weight launcher, and cannot launch many non-nano satellites at a time. OneWeb sats are heavy enough that they were originally launched on medium launch vehicles with tens of satellites launched at a time. I don't see how the economics work for using Maia since it can probably only launch one OneWeb sat at a time.OneWeb satellites are ~150 kg and Maia can launch ~4 tons to LEO (though not to a 1200 km orbit). So probably 10+ satellites per launch.I'm not so sure about that maths. Ariane 64 can deliver 20 tonnes to low Earth orbit, but is only carrying 32 OneWeb satellites to orbit next month. My guess is that the payload adaptor is a fair amount of the mass.
Quote from: WmThomas on 01/20/2026 03:15 pmCan anyone explain the Eutelsat Maiaspace launch deal?The Maia launcher is a light-weight launcher, and cannot launch many non-nano satellites at a time. OneWeb sats are heavy enough that they were originally launched on medium launch vehicles with tens of satellites launched at a time. I don't see how the economics work for using Maia since it can probably only launch one OneWeb sat at a time.OneWeb satellites are ~150 kg and Maia can launch ~4 tons to LEO (though not to a 1200 km orbit). So probably 10+ satellites per launch.
Quote from: WmThomas on 01/20/2026 03:15 pmCan anyone explain the Eutelsat Maiaspace launch deal?The Maia launcher is a light-weight launcher, and cannot launch many non-nano satellites at a time. OneWeb sats are heavy enough that they were originally launched on medium launch vehicles with tens of satellites launched at a time. I don't see how the economics work for using Maia since it can probably only launch one OneWeb sat at a time.It could be a sweetener for Airbus to deliver the 340 new satellites at a discount. The timing fits. Airbus owns 50% of ArianeGroup, and ArianeGroup owns MaiaSpace. And Airbus owns Airbus Constellations Satellites, which was Airbus OneWeb Satellites before Eutelsat sold its share to Airbus. And Airbus Constellations Satellites is building the OneWeb satellites.
European Spaceflight: Airbus Runs into Opposition with Satellite Business Consolidation [Jan 20]QuoteAccording to the CFDT release, the planned absorption has been “poorly perceived by the majority of ACS employees.” The UNSA statement is far less diplomatic, calling the proposal “industrial, economic, and social nonsense,” and adding that “there is no benefit in absorbing a company that is delivering strongly positive results, is experiencing strong growth, and is already wholly owned.”In December 2024, ACS won its first contract after Airbus assumed full ownership, with Eutelsat tapping the company to build 100 satellites for its OneWeb constellation. Earlier this month, Eutelsat expanded the order by an additional 340 satellites, bringing the total to 440 satellites. Delivery of the satellites is expected to begin before the end of the year.In opposing the merger, the unions warn that ACS risks losing its agility within Airbus’s bureaucracy, with efficiency undermined by the dispersal of ACS teams across major Airbus Defence and Space departments. They also cite employee departures to competitors and the erosion of ACS’s systems and identity as it is absorbed into the larger organisation.
According to the CFDT release, the planned absorption has been “poorly perceived by the majority of ACS employees.” The UNSA statement is far less diplomatic, calling the proposal “industrial, economic, and social nonsense,” and adding that “there is no benefit in absorbing a company that is delivering strongly positive results, is experiencing strong growth, and is already wholly owned.”In December 2024, ACS won its first contract after Airbus assumed full ownership, with Eutelsat tapping the company to build 100 satellites for its OneWeb constellation. Earlier this month, Eutelsat expanded the order by an additional 340 satellites, bringing the total to 440 satellites. Delivery of the satellites is expected to begin before the end of the year.In opposing the merger, the unions warn that ACS risks losing its agility within Airbus’s bureaucracy, with efficiency undermined by the dispersal of ACS teams across major Airbus Defence and Space departments. They also cite employee departures to competitors and the erosion of ACS’s systems and identity as it is absorbed into the larger organisation.
