The fourth launch of OneWeb satellites from Vostochny is a success
VOSTOCNY, May 29. - A successful launch of 36 OneWeb satellites aboard the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage was executed on Friday, May 28, from the Russian cosmodrome Vostochny. The launch of the spacecraft was carried out under the contracts of Glavkosmos (a subsidiary of Roscosmos) with the European launch services provider Arianespace (operates the launch of OneWeb spacecraft with the use of the Soyuz launch vehicle) and the company Starsem.
This launch became the fourth fully commercial launch of spacecraft from Vostochny. It was executed by the joint team, which combined the specialists of Roscosmos enterprises - Progress Space Rocket Center, Lavochkin Association, TsENKI, Glavkosmos and those of the foreign customers.
The separation of the Fregat upper stage from the third stage was nominal. During two and a half hours in accordance with the flight sequence the spacecraft were separated from the upper stage nine times and put into target orbits.
The foreign customers of Glavkosmos have confirmed that the company has fully complied with its contractual obligations. All the satellites have been injected into target orbits.
OneWeb low Earth orbit satellites are designed to provide consumers on the ground with high-speed Internet. Today’s launch brought the number of OneWeb spacecraft in orbit to 218 and the company is planning to launch hundreds more.
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Glavkosmos, JSC is a subsidiary of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos. The main task of the company is to promote the achievements of the Russian rocket and space industry to world markets and to manage complex international projects. During its thirty-five year history, the company has successfully fulfilled over 140 international contracts, including the launch of more than 150 spacecraft as a secondary payload.
ROSCOSMOS is a State Corporation established in August 2015 to carry out a comprehensive reform of the Russian rocket and space industry. ROSCOSMOS ensures the implementation of the state policy in space activities and its normative and legal regulations, as well as places orders for the design, production and supply of space equipment and space infrastructure. Its functions also include the development of international space cooperation, as well as the establishing of environment for application of space domain achievements for the social and economic development in Russia.