SpaceX to Launch Two Prototype Satellites.

SpaceX, OneWeb detail constellation plans to Congress - SpaceNews.com

WASHINGTON - SpaceX and OneWeb say they are within months of launching the first satellites in their competing megaconstellations of broadband smallsats designed to bring internet to every corner of the globe. Testifying before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Oct.

 From article, (SpaceX vice president of satellite government affairs Patricia Cooper said the company’s first two prototype satellites will launch “within the next few months” to validate in-house technology ahead of an operational launch campaign in 2019.

Launching the full constellation of 4,425 Ka- and Ku-band satellites would take about five years, she said.

“We would expect to provide commercial service as early as 800 satellites deployed, which is probably in the 2020, 2021 timeframe,” she said.

SpaceX plans to use its own rockets to launch its broadband constellation, and similar to its other projects, is building most of the satellites in-house, preferring vertical integration to reliance on a large base of suppliers. The company did not give a timeline for its larger proposed constellation of 7,500 V-band satellites, which would circle the Earth in an orbit below the first constellation.

OneWeb still expects to begin service with its first-generation constellation of roughly 900 satellites in 2019, though the launch date for the first 10 satellites has slipped by two months. Greg Wyler, OneWeb’s founder and executive chairman, said the first launch is now scheduled for May instead of March.
Greg Wyler OneWeb
Greg Wyler, founder and executive chairman of OneWeb. Credit: SpaceNews screen capture from Oct. 25 Senate hearing.

Arianespace is OneWeb’s primary launch partner and will use Europeanized Soyuz rockets to loft most of the initial constellation. OneWeb has also contracted with Virgin Orbit for 39 launches using its still-in-development LauncherOne dedicated smallsat vehicle. Blue Origin is under contract for five OneWeb launches with the future New Glenn rocket. In contrast to SpaceX and Canadian operator Telesat, OneWeb is not launching prototypes. It’s first satellites are the operator’s cornerstone of the larger constellation, which will be built out during 2018.)

Me, "Hm... 1,000+ satellite systems should keep rocket launchers busy for the next few years."

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