WebProNews

Tag: satellite constellation

  • OneWeb Raises Funding From SoftBank and Hughes

    OneWeb Raises Funding From SoftBank and Hughes

    OneWeb, a company dedicated to satellite-based internet, has raised additional funding from SoftBank and Hughes Network Systems.

    OneWeb has been working to launch a constellation of satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide internet access. When compared with traditional satellite internet services, low-Earth orbit provides speeds and latency that rivals traditional broadband.

    OneWeb is one of the prime competitors to SpaceX’s Starlink service, although OneWeb has yet to achieve the success of Starlink. The company declared bankruptcy in 2020, emerging from Chapter 11 in November.

    2021 is already looking brighter for OneWeb, with investments from Hughes Network and SoftBank, bringing its total funding to $1.4 billion. The company is now fully funded for the first stage of its constellation, totally 648 satellites, which it plans to have operational by the end of 2022.

    “We are delighted to welcome the investment from SoftBank and Hughes,” said Executive Chairman of OneWeb. “Both are deeply familiar with our business, share our vision for the future, and their commitment allows us to capitalise on the significant growth opportunity ahead for OneWeb. We gain from their experience and capabilities, as we deliver a unique LEO network for the world.”

    A big factor in OneWeb’s favor is its streamlined plans, which it announced on January 13. The company had originally asked the FCC for licenses to 47,884 satellites. Now the company only plans on using 6,372.

    Hopefully OneWeb’s latest funding will help it become a viable competitor to Starlink, giving consumers more choice in a burgeoning market.

  • Starlink Internet Service Expanding to the UK

    Starlink Internet Service Expanding to the UK

    Elon Musk’s second company has hit a major milestone, expanding its Starlink internet service to the UK, its first international market.

    Starlink is a satellite constellation in low-Earth orbit that provides internet access. Unlike previous incarnations of satellite internet, Starlink’s low-Earth orbit allows it provide speeds and latency that are competitive with traditional broadband. In fact, early adopters are reporting speeds in excess of 150 Mbps download, more than 30 Mbps upload and latency in the 30s.

    With a successful beta test in the US and Canada, Starlink has now been approved for use in the UK, with the first kits already reaching people’s homes, according to Business Insider.

    Philip Hall, a resident of rural Devon in southwest England was only getting 0.5 Mbps with his previous internet service. After receiving the Starlink equipment, he’s now averaging 85 Mbps.

    “Within the hour we ran a Zoom quiz with grandchildren — it was wonderful,” he told BI.

    The company has also received approval for Greece, Germany, and Australia. If people continue to see the results initial adopters are seeing, Starlink could be a game-changer for rural and underserved communities.

  • SpaceX Launches Third Batch Of Starlink Internet Satellites

    SpaceX Launches Third Batch Of Starlink Internet Satellites

    According to a press release, SpaceX has launched its third batch of Starlink satellites, including one with an experimental coating.

    Starlink is a group of satellites, or satellite constellation, aimed at providing high-speed, broadband internet across the globe. Eventually, as many as 12,000 satellites will be deployed to provide worldwide coverage. The third batch consisted of 60 satellites, for a total of 182 to date.

    There have been a number of concerns raised about the project. One of the biggest concerns is the growing problem of space debris. Another is that thousands of satellites reflecting sunlight could make it hard for astronomers to study deep space, not to mention interfere with radio waves.

    SpaceX is working to address all of these issues. For starters, the Starlink satellites orbit at 550 kilometers. The lower orbit helps ensure the satellites burn up in the atmosphere at the end of their life, rather than continuing in orbit for hundreds or thousands of years.

    The press release states that “on this flight, SpaceX is also testing an experimental darkening treatment on one satellite to further reduce the albedo of the body of the satellites.”

    Should the darkening treatment be successful, it should go a long way toward addressing astronomers’ concerns.