OneWeb’s LEO constellation reached 218 in-orbit satellites

OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation reached 218 in-orbit satellites following the successful launch of 36 satellites.

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The company only has one more launch to complete before it obtains the capacity to enable its ‘Five to 50’ service of offering internet connectivity to all regions north of 50 degrees latitude.

The Five to 50 service is expected to be switched on by June 2021 with global services powered by 648 satellites available in 2022.

Satellite Internet access is Internet access provided through communication satellites. Modern consumer grade satellite Internet service is typically provided to individual users through geostationary satellites.

LEO satellites have been orbiting the planet since the 1990s, providing companies and individuals with various communication services.

LEO satellites are positioned around 500km-2000km from earth, compared to stationary orbit satellites which are approximately 36,000km away. Latency, or the time needed for data to be sent and received, is contingent on proximity.