OneWeb India-1 Mission: Heaviest ISRO Rocket Successfully Launches 36 Satellites Into Orbit. All About It

OneWeb India-1 Mission: This marks the first commercial mission of LVM3, India’s heaviest launch vehicle, also known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mark III).

OneWeb India-1 Mission: The 36 OneWeb satellites were successfully placed into low-Earth orbit, as part of the OneWeb India-1 mission or LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark III) M2 mission. ISRO launched the satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota ( Image Source :Twitter/@OneWeb )

OneWeb India-1 Mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched 36 OneWeb satellites at 12:07 am IST on October 23, 2022. The satellites were successfully placed into low-Earth orbit, as part of the OneWeb India-1 mission or LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark III) M2 mission. This marks the first commercial mission of LVM3, India’s heaviest launch vehicle, also known as Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mark III). The OneWeb satellites, meant for global connectivity needs, were launched from the Second Launch Pad, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. 

ISRO completed the first dedicated commercial mission for United Kingdom-based communications company OneWeb with New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO. 

The OneWeb India-1 mission marks the entry of LVM3 into the global commercial launch service market. 

LVM3 M2/OneWeb India-1 mission is completed successfully. All the 36 satellites have been placed into intended orbits. @NSIL_India @OneWeb

— ISRO (@isro) October 22, 2022

OneWeb India-1 mission carried a payload mass of 5,796 kilograms, the heaviest for any ISRO mission to date. 

List of firsts by LVM3 M2 mission

• LVM3 M2 is the first commercial mission of India’s heaviest launch vehicle.
• It is also the first multi-satellite mission with 36 OneWeb satellites on board. 
• LVM3 is the first Indian rocket to carry a six-tonne payload.
• The mission marks the first launch of LVM3 to low-Earth orbit.
• OneWeb India-1 mission is also the first NSIL mission with LVM3.
• It is the first OneWeb mission with NSIL and the Department of Space (DoS).

More about OneWeb India-1 mission

The 36 OneWeb satellites have been placed into a low-Earth orbit, at an altitude of 1,200 kilometres above Earth, ISRO says on its website. LVM3 has three stages and a height of 43.5 metres. The launch vehicle is a catalyst for the Indian Space Programme, because it will ensure the launch of heavy payloads into low-Earth orbit. 

The mission marked OneWeb’s 14th launch. Over a period of one hour and 15 minutes following launch, the satellites separated successfully from the rocket and were dispensed in nine phases. 

With the successful completion of the mission, the OneWeb constellation in low-Earth orbit has 462 satellites. The mission represents more than 70 per cent of OneWeb’s planned fleet of 648 satellites in low-Earth orbit. 

LVM3 has completed four successful consecutive missions, including Chandrayaan-2. 

How will the mission be beneficial?

The OneWeb satellites will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity worldwide. Low-latency refers to a computer network that is capable of processing a very high volume of data messages with minimal delay. OneWeb’s partnership with ISRO and NSIL is to ensure the communications company can provide connectivity throughout India by 2023. OneWeb is committed to bringing secured solutions to enterprises, villages, towns, municipalities and schools, including the country’s hardest-to-reach areas. Bharti Global, OneWeb’s largest investor, is backing the UK-based company’s commitment.

More about OneWeb satellites

OneWeb satellites are arranged in 12 rings or orbital planes with 49 satellites in each ring. It takes 109 minutes for each satellite to complete a round trip around Earth.