Jane Edwards
Airbus’ defense and space business has teamed up with satellite Internet provider OneWeb to launch a new joint venture that will work to develop a constellation of 900 satellites designed to provide Internet communications services worldwide.
Brian Holz, vice president of space systems at OneWeb, will serve as CEO of OneWeb Satellites joint venture, Airbus said Tuesday.
Airbus will market the satellites, equipment and other platforms that will come up from the JV to other constellation operators.
Eric Beranger, head of programs space systems at Airbus’ defense and space business, said the joint venture will work to establish a prototype line in Toulouse, France, to build the first 10 satellites as well as evaluate the industrialization process for the production of other satellites.
Arianespace and Virgin Galactic will begin to launch the joint venture’s satellites into low Earth orbit in 2018.
