One Web Ltd has launched the final 36 satellites in its original 'constellation' of 616 satellites, allowing Elon Musk's Starlink rival to provide global broadband coverage this year.

The company filed for bankruptcy in March 2020 following the closure of credit markets due to the economic crisis caused by Covid-19 and has also been supported by the UK government and his Bharti Group. telecom tycoon.

The launch took place in Sriharikota, an islet off the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It ends a tumultuous chapter for the satellite company innovated a decade ago by  periodical space entrepreneur Greg Wyler.   

The company filed for ruin in March 2020 following the check of credit requests due to the  profitable extremity caused by Covid- 19 and has also been supported by the UK government and his Bharti Group. telecom mogul.   Relief of Sunil Mittal in India. It has since entered investments from SoftBank Group, the South Korean empire Hanwha Systems and Hughes Satellite Systems from the United States.

Masterson said OneWeb has contract revenue of $900 million and is expected to break even by 2025. The London-based company has also begun planning a sophisticated second wave that includes hundreds of additional satellites, which could cost up to $4 billion and be operated by 2028. .

space race

The launch is a major milestone in the new space race to belt the earth with thousands of low-flying spacecraft for broadband, which has sparked agreements among existing players.

OneWeb is the second largest system in low Earth orbit or "LEO" after Starlink, the system operated and launched by billionaire Musk's Space Exploration Technology Corporation, with more than 3,000 satellites in space. trajectory. Amazon.com Inc. is planning its own system of thousands of people called Project Kuiper. 

Downplaying competition from SpaceX, Masterson said that Musk's company is aimed at consumers, while OneWeb is aimed at businesses and governments. He is also a customer of SpaceX.

• OneWeb used Musk's rocket to send its own satellites after a launch with French company Arianespace SA derailed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine a year ago.

• OneWeb wishes to send information for potential "Gen 2" vendors in the second quarter, Masterson added.