Eutelsat has awarded Airbus Defence and Space a contract by to build a further 340 OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Together with the previous order for 100 satellites procured in December 2024, the total number of new satellites ordered by Eutelsat now amounts to 440.
These new satellites are intended to ensure operational continuity of the OneWeb constellation. The satellites will be manufactured at Airbus Defence and Space’s facility in Toulouse, France on a newly installed production line, with deliveries due to begin from the end of 2026.
The OneWeb LEO satellite network has more than 600 satellites flying in 12 synchronised orbital planes 1,200 km above the Earth, delivering high-speed, low-latency connectivity around the world. The availability of these additional 440 satellites will help ensure full operational continuity for customers of the constellation, progressively replacing early hardware that is coming to the end of its operational life.
The newest satellites will also integrate technology upgrades such as advanced digital channelisers that enable enhanced onboard processing capabilities, greater efficiency and flexibility, and enhanced long-term operational performance. Eutelsat will be evaluating opportunities for new business cases for these latest satellites, notably through embarkation capabilities for hosted payloads.
