Airbus awarded Eutelsat contract for 340 OneWeb LEO satellites

Image copyright Airbus

Together with the previous batch of 100 satellites procured in December 2024, the total number of satellites ordered by Eutelsat amounts to 440. These new satellites will ensure operational continuity of the OneWeb constellation.

The satellites will be manufactured at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility on a newly installed production line, with delivery from the end of 2026. This is a further step for European sovereignty.

Eutelsat’s OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network delivers high-speed, low-latency connectivity on a global basis. With over 600 satellites flying in 12 synchronised orbital planes 1,200km above the Earth, the constellation brings high-speed internet to every corner of the planet. The availability of these latest satellites will assure full operational continuity for customers of the constellation, progressively replacing early batches coming to end of operational life. 

Furthermore, they will integrate technology upgrades including advanced digital channelisers, enabling enhanced onboard processing capabilities as well as greater efficiency and flexibility. They incorporate optimised architecture designed to maximise long-term operational performance. With these latest satellites, Eutelsat will also be evaluating opportunities for new business cases, notably through embarkation capabilities for hosted payloads.

Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems in Airbus, said: “This latest contract from Eutelsat is an endorsement of our design and manufacturing expertise for LEO satellites. 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, Eutelsat Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased to rely on our long-standing partner, Airbus, for the procurement of these latest satellites. They ensure service continuity for the growing number of our customers and distribution partners benefiting from the unparalleled performance of our ubiquitous, low latency LEO capacity and enable us to pursue our growth path.”