Author Topic: Eutelsat OneWeb: Constellation - General Thread (Read 682218 times)

Rondaz · « **Reply #1280 on:** 05/28/2021 02:25 pm »

Great news as we are go for fuelling! Rocket Join us to watch the launch LIVE below 6:15 PM (BST) / 1:15 PM (ET).

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1398266485013893130

Rondaz · « **Reply #1281 on:** 05/28/2021 02:26 pm »

OneWeb Launch#7 (Delayed from 27 May to 28 May)

Rondaz · « **Reply #1282 on:** 05/28/2021 02:28 pm »

More than 5 meters high! Today another 36 @OneWeb satellites will be sent to space. Our dispenser will place the broadband satellites into orbit. Our dispenser has a 1.7 meter central cylinder structure and a height of 5.5 meters..

https://twitter.com/RuagSpace/status/1398240149230821376

GreenShrike · « **Reply #1283 on:** 05/28/2021 04:04 pm »

Quote from: jstrotha0975 on 05/27/2021 09:25 pm

Quote from: Robotbeat on 05/27/2021 08:10 pm
Is there gonna be any OneWeb launches on any non-R7-based rockets? If so, when?
I can see them launching on Ariane 6 eventually.

I think they have enough Soyuz launches for their first generation fleet. Their second generation is due around 2025 and, with over 6000 sats, could certainly use a bigger (and cheaper!) launcher.

As for Ariane, A64 has a 5.4m x 20m fairing. If OneWeb's dispenser is 5.5m long, then the A64 fairing should be able to take a double or triple stack of OneWeb sats. Soyuz can put 7-8t into LEO, so A64 might be able to carry a 2.5x long dispenser with 90 stats.

Assuming OneWeb is getting Soyuz flights for ~US$50M, and maybe ~US$125M for an A64 (a discount from Wikipedia's €115/US$140M price), then an A64 might both lift and cost 2.5x as much as a Soyuz flight.

As such, I'm not really seeing launching on Ariane 64 as actually improving OneWeb's per-satellite launch costs.

They're probably hoping that New Glenn starts launching soonest like every other constellation owner (except the obvious, of course). Their intentions probably boil down to 'as cheap as humanly possible, and preferably not SpaceX'.

However, while Amazon has the cash to afford paying extra to avoid booking Falcon 9 launches for Kuiper, OneWeb appears to keep having to raise additional funds just to remain operational and may not be able to afford being so picky. It's going to be a hard question whether, for the same amount of money, OneWeb is better off with more sats on orbit competing with Starlink but granting SpaceX profit on F9 launches, or fewer sats on orbit due to buying more expensive rides to orbit and denying SpaceX the launch profits.

Personally, I keep wondering if Bharti -- the Indian co-owner of OneWeb -- is at all encouraging ISRO to get going on developing a F9/NG style reusable launcher based on their SCE-200 engine. Consider: at 100 sats per flight, 6000 second gen sats would take 60 flights. If a reusable launcher can reduce per-flight costs from Ariane 6's $125M to Falcon 9's $50M, that's $4.5B in savings. $4.5B is probably enough to pay to develop a copy of Starship, so an Indian F9 equivalent should easily pay for its own development with a lot of cash left over.

Mass manufacturing OneWeb's second gen sats and developing/operating a reusable launcher would be a boost for Indian aerospace, and drop OneWeb's costs substantially.

Rondaz · « **Reply #1284 on:** 05/28/2021 05:34 pm »

Take a look behind the scenes with us as we prep for our livestream at 6:15 PM (BST) / 1:15 PM (ET)!

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1398319196405219329

Rondaz · « **Reply #1285 on:** 05/28/2021 05:43 pm »

3, 2, 1… we have lift-off!

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1398333571597848578

Rondaz · « **Reply #1286 on:** 05/28/2021 05:57 pm »

A successful launch of the Soyuz-2 rocket took place on Vostochny

05/28/2021 20:48

Today, May 28, 2021, at 20:38:39 Moscow time, the launch crews of the subsidiaries of the State Corporation Roscosmos at the Vostochny cosmodrome launched the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket with the Fregat upper stage and 36 new spacecraft of the company OneWeb as part of mission 47. At 20:48 Moscow time, the upper stage separated from the third stage of the carrier on a suborbital trajectory.

According to the received telemetry information, the launch, separation of the stages and the orbital block were carried out in the normal mode. After that, the Fregat upper stage continued to launch 36 vehicles into a target circular orbit with an altitude of 450 kilometers. Over the next 3 hours and 40 minutes, OneWeb satellites, in accordance with the flight sequence, will be sequentially separated (in groups of four satellites) from the Russian "accelerator" produced by the S.A. Lavochkin (part of the Roscosmos State Corporation).

This launch was the fourth fully commercial from the Vostochny cosmodrome, implemented under contracts between Glavkosmos (part of Roscosmos) with the European launch services provider Arianespace (operator of OneWeb spacecraft launches using the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle) and Starsem for the operator innovative satellite constellation OneWeb from the Russian cosmodrome.

The Soyuz-2 launch vehicle was developed on the basis of the Soyuz-U serial rocket. Its lead developer is the Progress Rocket and Space Center (Samara, part of Roscosmos). Upgraded propulsion systems and modern control and measurement systems are used on the Soyuz-2 launch vehicles, which significantly increases their technical and operational characteristics. Structurally "Soyuz-2", like all missiles of the "Soyuz" family, is made according to the scheme of longitudinal-transverse division of rocket stages. In combination with the Fregat upper stage, it is intended for launching spacecraft into low-earth orbits of various heights and inclinations, including geo-transfer and geostationary orbits, as well as departure trajectories.

Liquid-propellant rocket engines RD-107A and RD-108A are used at the first and second stages of the launch vehicle, and at the third stage, the four-chamber RD-0124. With the help of RD-107 and RD-108 developments of the Scientific and Production Association "Energomash" named after academician V.P. Glushko (Khimki, part of Roscosmos) reliably ensures the implementation of the domestic program of manned flights and spacecraft launch. To date, work has been carried out to modernize the basic RD-107 engines for the first stage and RD-108 engines for the second stage - 18 modifications for various programs.

https://www.roscosmos.ru/31259/

Rondaz · « **Reply #1287 on:** 05/28/2021 07:39 pm »

Excited to see our 7th group of satellites successfully launch. We’ll be sharing updates on Twitter as our mission continues and our satellites separate - stay tuned!

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1398357557404737538

Rondaz · « **Reply #1288 on:** 05/28/2021 07:58 pm »

We can confirm acquisition with the first 8 @OneWeb satellites… so far so good #onweblaunch

https://twitter.com/M_Ladovaz/status/1398362574996049924

Rondaz · « **Reply #1289 on:** 05/28/2021 08:25 pm »

Arianespace Flight ST32 - OneWeb (EN) Deployment

Rondaz · « **Reply #1290 on:** 05/28/2021 08:46 pm »

OneWeb will be able to provide communication services in Russia at the end of the year.

23:29 05/28/2021

OneWeb

MOSCOW, May 28 - RIA Novosti. The British company OneWeb will be able to provide communication services in Russia at the end of 2021, said Mikhail Kaigorodov, commercial director of the company in Russia.

"The eighth launch (in July as part of the OneWeb program - ed.) From the Vostochny cosmodrome will increase the satellite constellation to 254 spacecraft and provide coverage of the earth's surface above 50 degrees north latitude, including the Arctic zone and almost the entire territory of the Russian Federation," he said in video in the YouTube channel of " Roscosmos ".

"Further, after the completion of alpha and beta testing of the system in the fourth quarter of this year, OneWeb will be fully ready to provide commercial services in this territory," added Kaigorodov.

He said that the company plans to place three ground stations of the system in the Russian Federation.

"OneWeb is ready not only to provide the necessary documentation for making a decision (by the Russian - ed.) Regulator on the allocation of frequencies, but also to deploy (in the Russian Federation - ed.) A temporary segment of the infrastructure for a comprehensive study of the technical characteristics of the network, as well as the compliance of the declared parameters with the real ones, which OneWeb can provide potential partners for Russian clients, including for regulatory bodies, "Kaigorodov said.

In 2018, it became known that the FSB and Roskomnadzor opposed the allocation of radio frequencies to the company . In August 2019, OneWeb withdrew an application for obtaining radio frequencies in Russia for the operation of its satellites. The company said that the application will be revised and submitted again, taking into account Russian national security requirements.

https://ria.ru/20210528/oneweb-1734684381.html

Rondaz · « **Reply #1291 on:** 05/28/2021 09:35 pm »

And six!

Sixth separation is confirmed.

https://twitter.com/Arianespace/status/1398380779609133058

Rondaz · « **Reply #1292 on:** 05/29/2021 12:15 am »

Another 36 OneWeb satellites launched into orbit

05/29/2021 01:17

On Friday, May 28, 2021, at 20:38:39 Moscow time, the ninth launch took place from the Russian Vostochny cosmodrome and the third this year. The Soyuz launch complex successfully launched the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage and 36 OneWeb spacecraft. After 562.7 seconds, the warhead detached itself from the third stage of the carrier in normal mode and continued its autonomous flight.

The sequential separation of nine groups of spacecraft from the Russian upper stage was carried out routinely in accordance with the laid down flight sequence. In total, during the mission, eleven active sites were provided for almost four hours: three activations of the sustainer propulsion system (the latter for the purpose of delivering the upper stage to the so-called "withdrawal orbit") and eight activations of the propulsion system of POPs necessary for safe separation and discrepancies between OneWeb devices.

All satellites were launched into target orbits in the normal mode and taken under the control of the customer of this launch. After the completion of the disengagement and separation of spacecraft, the Fregat upper stage will be de-orbited, and non-combustible elements will be flooded into the uninhabited part of the Pacific Ocean. This is the seventh launch in OneWeb's launch campaign.

The launch vehicles of the State Corporation Roscosmos are the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle (manufactured by the Progress Rocket and Space Center, Samara) and the Fregat upper stage (manufactured by the S.A. Lavochkin Research and Production Association , Khimki) - performed the work as usual. Today's launch of OneWeb satellites was carried out within the framework of contracts between Glavkosmos (part of Roscosmos) with the European launch services provider Arianespace and Starsem in close cooperation with Roscosmos subsidiaries - Progress RCC, NPO Lavochkin and the Center for Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure Facilities.

Recall that OneWeb satellites are designed to create a space communication system that provides high-speed Internet access anywhere in the world. The orbital constellation will consist of 18 planes with 36 vehicles each. After the launch, the constellation of OneWeb satellites in low-earth orbit numbers 218 satellites, hundreds of others are planned to be launched. Internet access via the OneWeb satellite system will be provided through 40 ground-based terminal stations that will be deployed on the surface of the Earth. The OneWeb terminals will be self-contained, self-sufficient and well protected from adverse environmental factors. Each of the terminals will be able to provide high-speed Internet access in its coverage area via Wi-Fi, LTE or 5G technologies.

The Upper Stage "Fregat" ensures the efficient performance of all tasks of placing one or several vehicles into working orbits or trajectories taking off from the Earth. The entire process of launching is carried out autonomously, without interference from the Earth. The highest reliability and almost perfect launch accuracy provide the upper stage with undeniable competitive advantages in the global space launch market. This launch became the 97th for the Fregat upper stage.

https://www.roscosmos.ru/31260/

Rondaz · « **Reply #1293 on:** 05/29/2021 12:16 am »

All OneWeb satellites are in target orbits.

01:25 05/29/2021

MOSCOW, May 29 - RIA Novosti. All 36 British communication satellites OneWeb have been launched into target orbits with the help of the Russian upper stage "Fregat", said the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin .

"There is a branch of all 36 spacecraft," he wrote on Telegram .

The Soyuz-2.1b rocket was launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome at 20.38 Moscow time and ten minutes later the Fregat upper stage with the vehicles separated from the third stage of the rocket on a suborbital trajectory. Further insertion of satellites into a target circular orbit with an altitude of 450 kilometers was ensured by two starts of the Fregat propulsion engine. The separation of the devices from the upper stage was carried out in nine stages, four devices in each in the time interval from 21.57 on May 28 to 0.30 Moscow time on May 29.

The contract between Arianespace and OneWeb for 21 launches of Soyuz rockets from the Baikonur, Vostochny and Kuru cosmodromes was signed in June 2015. In September 2020, OneWeb announced that the number of contracted Soyuz launches had been reduced to 19. Given the current launch, seven have already been completed: two from Baikonur, four from Vostochny and one from Kuru, 218 satellites have been launched into orbit.

OneWeb expects to begin providing commercial satellite communications services in late 2021, and by the end of 2022, it intends to deploy a constellation of 648 satellites, which will provide broadband Internet access to users around the world thanks to full coverage of the Earth's surface .

https://ria.ru/20210529/oneweb-1734688368.html

Rondaz · « **Reply #1294 on:** 05/29/2021 12:21 am »

Our final separation is complete! We now await signal acquisition from our satellites to confirm mission success

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1398403265268785153

Rondaz · « **Reply #1295 on:** 05/29/2021 12:23 am »

With the launch of 36 more OneWeb sats today, a total of 218 are in orbit. Here are their orbital heights vs time.

https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1398420759790358533

Rondaz · « **Reply #1296 on:** 05/29/2021 09:47 am »

Rogozin Confirms Next OneWeb Launch On July 1st.

10:59 05/29/2021

MOSCOW, May 29 - RIA Novosti. The next launch rocket "Soyuz-2" with the British communications satellites is scheduled for July 1 Vostochny cosmodrome, said the head of " Roskosmos " Dmitry Rogozin .

"July 1, Vostochny, VanWeb," Rogozin wrote on his Telegram channel .

Earlier, a source in the rocket and space industry had already named RIA Novosti the date of July 1.

Previous launches of the Soyuz-2 rocket with 36 OneWeb vehicles from Vostochny were carried out on March 25, April 26, and May 28.

The next four cluster launches of 34 OneWeb devices in each will be made from Baikonur on August 2 and 26, September 18 and December 23 or 26, 2021, two more interlocutors of the agency said earlier.

The contract between Arianespace and OneWeb for 21 launches of Soyuz rockets from the Baikonur, Vostochny and Kuru cosmodromes was signed in June 2015. In September 2020, OneWeb announced that the number of contracted Soyuz launches had been reduced to 19. Seven have already been completed: two from Baikonur, four from Vostochny and one from Kuru, 182 satellites have been launched into orbit.

OneWeb expects to begin providing commercial satellite communications services in late 2021, and by the end of 2022, it intends to deploy a constellation of 648 satellites, which will provide broadband Internet access to users around the world thanks to full coverage of the Earth's surface .

https://ria.ru/20210529/sputnik-1734705323.html

Rondaz · « **Reply #1297 on:** 05/29/2021 09:58 am »

Mission success! #OneWebLaunch7 With 218 satellites in orbit, we are one launch away from being able to deliver connectivity services north of 50 degrees latitude by the end of this year. Thanks to @Arianespace, @OneWebSatellit1 and all our incredible partners and team.

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1398410795076177923

Rondaz · « **Reply #1298 on:** 06/02/2021 04:52 pm »

Congratulations to our incredible team who worked hard to deliver a successful #OneWebLaunch Raising hands From the launch pad to the operations centre, thank you to everyone who is bringing us one step closer to our ‘Five to 50’ ambition!

https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1400069844029038595

Rondaz · « **Reply #1299 on:** 06/08/2021 09:37 am »

Roscosmos has named the time of the next launch from Vostochny.

11:51 08.06.2021

MOSCOW, June 8 - RIA Novosti. The next launch of 36 British communications satellites OneWeb by the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket from the Vostochny cosmodrome is planned for July 1 in the afternoon Moscow time, a spokesman for the Roscosmos press service told RIA Novosti .

In May, Dmitry Rogozin , the general director of the state corporation, said that the launch was scheduled for July 1.

"The start is expected at 15.48 Moscow time," said a spokesman for the Roscosmos press service.

The contract between Arianespace and OneWeb for 21 launches of Soyuz rockets from the Baikonur , Vostochny and Kuru cosmodromes was signed in June 2015. In September 2020, OneWeb announced that the number of contracted Soyuz launches had been reduced to 19. Seven had already been completed: two from Baikonur, four from Vostochny and one from Kuru, 218 satellites were launched into orbit.

OneWeb intends to begin providing commercial satellite communications services in late 2021, and by the end of 2022, it intends to deploy a constellation of 648 first-generation satellites, which will provide broadband Internet access to users around the world thanks to full coverage of the Earth's surface .

https://ria.ru/20210608/kosmos-1736110447.html