In a statement, the company did not say how many of its satellites SpaceX will launch or how many launches it will take. As of now, OneWeb has 428 satellites in orbitor 66 percent of the fleet, the company said, that would provide Internet capability to Earth users.
“We thank SpaceX for its support, which reflects our shared vision of space’s limitless potential,” OneWeb CEO Neil Masterson said in a statement. “With these launch plans in place, we are on track to finish building our entire fleet of satellites and deliver strong, fast and secure connectivity around the world.”
After the United Kingdom joined in the sanctions imposed due to the invasion of Ukraine and Russia He said he wouldn’t fly on OneWeb The satellites did not comply with a list of demands, including that the British government sell its large stake in the company and that the satellite could not be used for military purposes. When these conditions were not met, Russia withdrew the missile, leaving OneWeb to find another flight.
It didn’t take more than two weeks. And Russia’s decision to refuse to launch satellites may have had an unintended consequence – delivering SpaceX another launch contract and a possible deal.
SpaceX has also taken on the task of launching American astronauts to the International Space Station, a mission that Russia has had for years. After the space shuttle retired in 2011, NASA had no choice but to rely on Russia to transport its astronauts to the station. And those flights weren’t cheap: Russia charged as much as $85 million per seat.
Founder and CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk was competing With Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Russian Space Agency, who said that he would no longer provide American companies with the engines they need to power their vehicles, and that they would have to use a “broom” to get into orbit.
Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to build its own capabilities Starlink constellation. A SpaceX official said Monday that the company has 250,000 subscribers and has a fleet of about 2,000 satellites in orbit. At his manufacturing facility in Redmond, Washington, he said, he produces about eight satellites a day.
During the recent Starlink launch, the SpaceX webcast commentator told SpaceX: “It’s time to let the American broomstick fly and hear the sound of freedom.”
Starlink has also taken on an increased role in Ukraine, serving the country’s government and military. Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, He told the newspaper last week This country uses ‘in the area of thousands’ Starlink stations and that ‘new shipments [are] arrive every day. “
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