Successful launch of OneWeb’s satellites by India’s LVM3 M2

Another set of 36 satellites from OneWeb is planned to be put into orbit in January 2023

October 23, 2022

In a historic feat, ISRO successfully launches 36 communication satellites in LEO

The Indian space agency successfully launched 36 satellites of the UK-based OneWeb. OneWeb is a joint venture between India Bharti Global and the UK government. India’s GSLV MkIII rocket, renamed for this mission as LVM3 M2, on Sunday lifted off with 36 satellites of the UK-based ‘OneWeb‘ from the rocket port here.

The satellite company plans to have a constellation of about 650 satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) to offer communication services.

The 43.5 meters tall and weighing 644 ton LVM3 M2 rocket carrying 36 satellites weighing total of 5,796 kg or about 5.7 tons blasted off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 12.07 a.m.

Just over 19 minutes into its flight, the LVM3 will sling the 36 small broadband communication satellites of Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) into low earth orbit (LEO). If the launch is successful, India would have launched a total of 381 foreign satellites starting from 1999.

Another set of 36 satellites from OneWeb is planned to be put into orbit in January 2023.

The LVM3 is a three-stage rocket with the first stage fired with liquid fuel, the two strap-on motors powered by solid fuel, the second by liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine.

The ISRO‘s heavy-lift rocket has a carrying capacity of 10 tons to the LEO and four-ton to the Geo Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Normally the GSLV rocket is used for launching India’s geostationary communication satellites. And hence it was named a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). The GSLV MkIII refers to the third-generation rocket.

As the rocket that will fly on Sunday morning will be orbiting the OneWeb satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the ISRO has renamed GSLV Mk III LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mk III).

The rocket mission has several firsts for the Indian space sector. It is the first commercial launch of GSLV MkIII and for the first time, an Indian rocket will be ferrying a payload of about six tonnes.

Similarly, OneWeb is using an Indian rocket to put its satellites into orbit for the first time. Also, it is the first commercial launch of GSLV MkIII contracted by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, and for the first time, a renamed GSLV MkIII is being used for launching satellites in LEO.

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