Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract by Eutelsat to manufacture a further 340 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for the OneWeb constellation, reinforcing Europe’s role in sovereign space-based connectivity and ensuring long-term service continuity for the network.
The latest order follows a previous procurement of 100 satellites placed in December 2024, bringing the total number of satellites ordered by Eutelsat to 440. Together, the new batch will progressively replace early-generation spacecraft approaching the end of their operational life, safeguarding uninterrupted service for OneWeb customers worldwide.
Manufacturing will take place at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility, where a newly installed production line has been established to support higher-volume satellite output. Deliveries are scheduled to begin from the end of 2026, marking another step in Europe’s ambition to maintain independent access to critical space infrastructure.
OneWeb’s LEO constellation currently comprises more than 600 satellites operating in 12 synchronised orbital planes at an altitude of approximately 1,200 km. Designed to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity on a global scale, the network supports a growing range of applications across aviation, maritime, enterprise and government sectors.
The newly contracted satellites will incorporate a series of technology upgrades, including advanced digital channelisers that enhance onboard processing capability, efficiency and operational flexibility. An optimised architecture is intended to maximise long-term performance, while also enabling Eutelsat to explore new commercial opportunities, including hosted payloads for additional missions.
“This latest contract from Eutelsat is an endorsement of our design and manufacturing expertise for LEO satellites,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “Airbus has been a key partner and supplier to Eutelsat for more than 30 years, and this award further cements our important relationship.”
Jean-François Fallacher, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat, highlighted the strategic importance of the order, noting that the satellites will ensure service continuity for a growing customer base while supporting the company’s long-term growth strategy through enhanced, low-latency global coverage.
SOURCE AND IMAGE: AIRBUS SPACE
