SpaceX Starlink, the satellites that in the intentions of Elon Musk should bring the Internet everywhere at a reduced cost are well known to fans. There is less talk of competitors, like OneWeb, which have the same intentions as the US company, but with less media exposure, so far.
The fate of the 74 OneWeb satellites currently in orbit
Just the English company would be going through a difficult period financially. Part of its workforce would have been laid off while the bankruptcy protection through Chapter 11 / Chapter 11 to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
In an official press note, OneWeb has announced that it intends to sell its business in order to maximize the company's value. Currently they are present in low orbit 74 satellites while 44 facilities for their management have been built or are being completed on the ground.
In performance terms, the constellation of satellites of OneWeb should be able to deliver up to 400 Mbps bandwidth with latencies in the order of 32 ms. According to reports, the company would not have obtained the investments necessary for its sustenance at the beginning of the year (in particular from SoftBank). The impact of COVID-19 on the economy it has been heavy limiting the resources of the investors and therefore causing liquidity problems for OneWeb.
Adrian Steckel (CEO of OneWeb) said in his note that he is still convinced of the social and economic value of the company's mission to connect everyone everywhere. The senior executive also added "Today is a difficult day for us at OneWeb. Many people have dedicated so much energy, commitment and passion to this company and to our mission. Our hope is that this process will allow us to trace a path that will lead to the completion of our mission, based on years of effort and billions of capital invested ".