Airbus delivers first 32 OneWeb satellites to Eutelsat

Airbus Defence and Space has completed the manufacturing of the first 32 next-generation OneWeb satellites for Eutelsat. The spacecraft, which rolled off the production line at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, are being prepared for transport to be launched via SpaceX into low Earth orbit (LEO).

This delivery represents the initial tranche of a larger agreement for 669 new OneWeb satellites intended to replenish Eutelsat’s constellation. The new fleet will progressively replace older satellites nearing the end of their operational life, ensuring continuous broadband services for government, maritime, aviation, and enterprise sectors.

Eutelsat’s long-term strategy aims to have 1,300 OneWeb satellites in orbit by 2030. This replenishment program serves as a technical bridge before the company transitions commercial and institutional traffic to the European Union’s sovereign IRIS² multi-orbit constellation in the early 2030s.