OneWeb Shifts First Internet Satellite Launches To 2019 - Source

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th August, 2018) British communications firm OneWeb has put off the first internet satellite launches atop a Russian Soyuz 2 rocket until early 2019, a source in the industry told Sputnik.

The company plans to fire off 21 satellites from the Vostochny spaceport in eastern Russia, Baikonur in Kazakhstan and Kourou in French Guiana.

"Issues in spacecraft production have put off the first OneWeb launch from Kourou until at least February 2019. The rest of the launches have also shifted. The first launch from Baikonur will take place in summer or early fall 2019 and in 2020 from Vostochny ," the source said.

OneWeb wants to build a privately-financed broadband constellation of 900 satellites in partnership with French aviation giant Airbus to deliver affordable Internet access globally.