Launch Details

About the Launch

In its second operational flight, LVM3 launch vehicle placed 36 satellites of OneWeb to their intended orbits taking off at 0007 Hrs. on October 23, 2022, from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This was a dedicated commercial mission for a foreign customer through NSIL. A total of 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites of about 150 kg each totaling about 5,796 kg were launched to a circular low-earth orbit of about 601 km with a 87.4 degree inclination.The separation of satellites involved a unique maneuver of the cryogenic stage to orientation and re-orientation covering 9 phases spanning 75 minutes. OneWeb confirmed the acquisition of signals from the satellites.

OneWeb Gen-1 satellites utilize a bent-pipe technology approach to offer communication in Ku-band and Ku-bands. They are arranged in 12 orbital planes with 49 satellites in each plane at 1200 km. Calling the launch of LVM3 M2 a historic event, Shri S. Somanath, Chairman, ISRO lauded the synergetic efforts between ISRO, NSIL, OneWeb in realizing the mission in a record time.

He specifically acknowledged the design and development of an inertial navigation system at LPSC for C25 operations. This was one of the biggest commercial orders executed by ISRO. With this launch, the LVM3 enters into global market in a grand manner.

About the Rocket

Rocket Image
  • Specifications
  • Height - 43.5 m
    Core Diameter - 4 m
    Stages - 1st Stage (S200)
    2nd Stage (L110)
    3rd Stage (C25)
    Liftoff Mass - 640 tonne
  • Payload to Orbit
  • LEO - 10000 kg
    GTO - 4000 kg
  • Cost per launch
  • $60 million (estimated)
Know More

About the Payload

OneWeb is a global communication network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities. It is implementing a constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. India's Bharti Enterprises serves as a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb. This is OneWeb's 18th launch, its third this year, bringing the total of OneWeb's constellation to 618 satellites. This launch is a major milestone for the company, with the number of satellites now in-orbit enabling global service, the first LEO operator to reach this milestone. OneWeb will soon be ready to roll out its global coverage.

• OneWeb Gen-1 is a 150 kg class satellite
• The constellation comprises of 648 individual satellites.
• 588 Active Satellites divided among 12 planes operate at an 1200 km above the Earth's surface
• Each plane is separated in altitude by 4 km (~2.5 mi) to prevent inter-plane collision
• The payload is a bent-pipe system operating in Ku and Ka band
• The forward link receives Ka-band signals from the gateway via the satellite Ka antenna
• The return link receives Ku-band signals from the User Terminals (UTs) via the satellite Ku antenna

Key Milestones