The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) has finally rolled out the Launch Vehicle Mark-III on the pad for the launch of the OneWeb satellite constellation. The launch is scheduled for October 23 at 12:07 a.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Isro renamed the GSLV-MkIII the LVM-3 because the rocket will not deposit the satellites in geosynchronous orbit, but rather in Low Earth Orbit. The launch is part of two launch service contracts with M/s Network Access Associated Limited (M/s OneWeb) to launch the satellites.
The agreement was signed between OneWeb and India’s New Space India Limited (NSIL) after Russian denied launch services to the United Kingdom over sanctions from western countries following its invasion of Ukraine. The Soyuz rocket was rolled out on the launch at the Russia-operated Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan when the Russian space agency laid out demands in front of the UK government in order to launch the satellite.
Could not be used by military purpose
The demands included a guarantee that OneWeb satellites would not be used for military purposes, as well as the withdrawal of the UK government as a shareholder in OneWeb. For launch services, OneWeb has since partnered with both the Indian space agency and its rival SpaceX.
The satellites arrived in India late last month, and work on their integration has since begun. According to the company’s press release, with this launch, OneWeb will have more than 70% of its planned Gen 1 Low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation in orbit as it works to provide high-speed, low-latency connectivity services around the world.
“It is the first LVM3 dedicated commercial launch on demand through NSIL. This contract with M/s OneWeb is a historic milestone for NSIL and ISRO, as LVM3, is making its entry into the Global commercial launch service market,” Isro has said.
