The small-satellite market is a fast-growing one within the space industry, as many new and established participants are entering the market with new products and services. The market has been dominated by many earth observation participants. Although connectivity participants entered rather slowly, some of them have made significant developments in the recent past by virtue of which they stand worthy of assessment for future impacts. One such participant is OneWeb.

OneWeb is a small-satellite operator aiming to deliver broadband services globally. With 6 key members representing each segment of the telecom value chain forming the joint venture, OneWeb focuses on remote locations that do not have access to the fiber-optic cable network. Developments so far indicate that government and commercial establishments are engaging with the business via collaborations and partnerships. Softbank remains the prominent investor, and the business attracted investments from other businesses as well, including Intelsat, an established incumbent (satellite operator) in the telecom industry. With 650 small satellites to be launched, OneWeb, is revolutionizing the satellite industry by adopting automotive-style serial production capabilities to realize its mission. OneWeb is also evolving key new technologies to enable safe and sustainable space operations, mitigating the risks associated with debris and interference.

This study will provide a brief assessment of OneWeb, covering the key aspects of the business to provide an overview of the start-up. The insights will cover key markets/applications served, funding scenario, safety and sustainability elements, and key technological disruptions. The study aims to investigate the business to identify the parameters that make it unique and ensure future commercial success. The study will help existing members of the small-satellite market understand how a successful small-satellite business develops itself while being a start-up. The study also presents a comparative assessment of OneWeb against relevant participants across segments that are also start-ups in the small-satellite market.

Author: Arun Kumar Sampathkumar