Eutelsat Group has commissioned Airbus Defence and Space to produce 100 new satellites for its OneWeb constellation.
These satellites are designed to ensure service continuity ahead of the deployment of Europe’s upcoming IRIS² Satellite Constellation. The IRIS² Satellite Constellation is the European Union’s third flagship constellation, addressing long-term the EU’s long-term security, safety, and resiliency challenges by offering enhanced connectivity services to governmental users.
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Phased Production
Airbus revealed that production of the satellites will commence in 2026 at its facility in Toulouse, France. The current OneWeb satellites were manufactured in Florida by Airbus OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb. However, earlier this year, Airbus acquired Eutelsat’s share in the partnership, consolidating its ownership. Eutelsat stated that Airbus will produce the satellites in phases, with deliveries beginning in late 2026.
“Airbus manufactured all of the current OneWeb satellite fleet. We are committed to the successful continuation of the OneWeb constellation and to keep serving the business of Eutelsat as we have done over the past decades,” noted Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.
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Advanced Integrations
The upcoming satellites will feature advanced technology to enable seamless 5G integration on the ground and will be fully compatible with Europe’s planned IRIS² multi-orbit constellation. The new multi-orbital constellation of 290 satellites will combine the benefits offered by medium Earth orbit (MEO) and low Earth oribit (LEO) satellites. It is set to provide secure connectivity services to the EU and its Member States as well as broadband connectivity for governmental authorities, private companies and European citizens, while ensuring high-speed internet broadband to cope with connectivity dead zones.
Eutelsat is set to play a leading role in IRIS², has pledged EUR 2 billion to the project, and is serving as the system developer’s prime contractor. The constellation will leverage Eutelsat’s priority spectrum rights in the Ku-band for its operations.
This upgrade with Airbus “will ensure we deliver continuity of service of the existing constellation with enhanced service features as we move towards an architecture in line with the IRIS² constellation in 2030,” Eutelsat CEO, Eva Berneke, explained. “Our in-market experience shows us that the appetite for low Earth orbit capacity is growing rapidly and we are excited to embark on the next stage of our journey to satisfy that demand.”
