MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2021) The second launch of 36 communication satellites of UK company OneWeb from Russia's Vostochny cosmodrome this year is scheduled for April 26, two sources in the space and rocket industry told Sputnik.
The first launch from the Russian spaceport under the OneWeb program this year will be carried out on Thursday.
"The [second] launch is planned for April 26," a source said.
Another source confirmed the information, adding that the date of the second launch depends on the timing of the satellites' delivery to the cosmodrome, which is expected in early April.
In January, a source told Sputnik that Russia would conduct three launches for OneWeb this year, namely in March, April and May, taking 36 satellites to orbit each time. Two more launches � supposedly in June and July � are still under consideration.
OneWeb is set to start providing commercial satellite communications services late in 2021 and to deploy a 648-satellite constellation by the end of 2022. This will ensure broadband internet access to users from around the globe, thanks to full coverage of the Earth's surface.
