American Made Advocacy: Reshoring—About Trust, Not Just Geography
Defense Speak Interpreted: It’s Time for a ‘Defense-Speak’ Update
Beyond the Board: The Future of Innovation—Why the Electronics Industry Needs You
Airbus Awarded Eutelsat Contract to Build OneWeb Low Orbit Constellation Extension
December 19, 2024 | AirbusEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract by Eutelsat to build the extension of its OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation.
Under the contract signed between the two companies, Airbus will build the first batches of the extension, totalling 100 satellites, with delivery targeted from the end of 2026, ensuring continuity and enhancement of service for current and future customers.
Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space said: “Airbus manufactured all of the current OneWeb satellite fleet. We are committed to the successful continuation of the OneWeb constellation and to keep serving the business of Eutelsat as we have done over the past decades.”
Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat Group commented: "We are relying on our long-standing partner, Airbus, to begin building the first batches of the Next Generation of our OneWeb LEO constellation, which will ensure we deliver continuity of service of the existing constellation with enhanced service features, as we move towards an architecture in line with the European IRIS2 constellation in 2030. Our in-market experience shows us that the appetite for low Earth orbit capacity is growing rapidly, and we are excited to embark on the next stage of our journey to satisfy that demand.”
The new satellites will enable key technology upgrades, notably 5G on-ground integration and ensure technology architecture compatibility with Europe’s planned IRIS2 multi-orbit constellation, due to enter operational service in 2030, of which Eutelsat will be one of the main operators.
All 100 new satellites will be built at the Airbus site in Toulouse. Production is expected to start in 2026.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Airbus to Design and Build ESA’s ExoMars Rover Lander Platform
03/31/2025 | AirbusAirbus has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space (TAS - a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%)), the ExoMars industrial prime contractor, to build key systems for the ExoMars lander that will safely place the Rosalind Franklin rover on the surface of the Red Planet.
Airbus Foundation Joins Forces with the Solar Impulse Foundation to Boost Climate Action
03/28/2025 | AirbusThe Airbus Foundation and Solar Impulse Foundation have launched a three-year partnership aimed at driving global progress on sustainability through fostering innovation and collaboration.
Airbus Advances Key Technologies for Next-Generation Single-Aisle Aircraft
03/25/2025 | AirbusDuring the 2025 Airbus Summit, Airbus provided an update on its roadmap to pioneer the future of commercial aviation in the decades to come.
Ariane-6 Launches CSO-3: double success for France and Europe
03/07/2025 | AirbusThe Airbus-built CSO-3 (Composante Spatiale Optique) Earth observation satellite for the French Armed Forces, has been successfully launched by Arianespace on Ariane 6’s first commercial flight from the European Spaceport in Kourou.
FAA Certifies Airbus H125 IFR Capability
03/04/2025 | AirbusThe H125‘s single pilot instrument flight rules (IFR) capability has been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), paving the way for first deliveries in 2025 from Airbus Helicopters’ assembly line in Columbus, Mississippi.