Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract by Eutelsat to build a further 340 OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. Together with the previous batch of 100 ones procured in December 2024 (see for details AVIONEWS), the total number of satellites ordered by Eutelsat amounts to 440. These new satellites will ensure operational continuity of the OneWeb constellation.

They will be manufactured at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility on a newly installed production line, with delivery from the end of 2026. This is a further step for European sovereignty.

Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit satellite network delivers high-speed, low-latency connectivity on a global basis. With over 600 satellites flying in 12 synchronised orbital planes 1,200 km 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 channelisers, enabling enhanced onboard processing capabilities as well as greater efficiency and flexibility. They incorporate optimised architecture designed to maximise 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.