Eutelsat to expand OneWeb after €1 billion satellite order

• The €1 billion order adds to 440 satellites already on order, bringing Eutelsat's total procurement investment to approximately €3 billion with fleet size expected to exceed 1,000 satellites
• OneWeb currently operates over 600 satellites versus Starlink's 11,000+, but requires fewer due to higher altitude operations and focus on government, enterprise, and telecom customers rather than consumer markets
• The expansion ensures service continuity until the EU's IRIS² constellation (348 satellites) becomes operational around 2030, with Eutelsat also booking two Ariane launch missions for 2027 and 2028

SUMMARY

Franco-British satellite operator Eutelsat announced a €1 billion ($1.16 billion) order for 229 additional low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites from Airbus on September 10, significantly expanding its OneWeb network through 2034. This order supplements 440 satellites previously ordered in 2024-2025, with deliveries expected to begin in Q4.

Key Financial Details:

• New order value: €1 billion
• Previous capital raise: ~€5 billion to support $3.4 billion merger obligations
• Extended fleet roadmap previously projected €2 billion spending for 440 satellites by 2030

Strategic Context:

Eutelsat aims to challenge SpaceX's Starlink dominance in the LEO satellite market. OneWeb currently operates over 600 satellites, with CEO Jean-François Fallacher indicating the fleet will exceed 1,000 "very soon." By comparison, Starlink operates more than 11,000 satellites. However, OneWeb requires fewer satellites due to higher operating altitude and targets government, enterprise, and telecom customers rather than mass consumers.

Market Importance:

The expansion is strategically significant for French and British governments, as Eutelsat operates the only LEO satellite network outside Starlink, providing secure communications and broadband internet services. The 229 additional satellites will maintain service continuity until the EU's IRIS² constellation (348 satellites) becomes operational around decade's end.

Additional Developments:

Eutelsat, also a SpaceX customer, separately announced booking two Ariane launch missions for 2027 and 2028 to deploy OneWeb satellites.

The investment underscores Europe's effort to maintain independent satellite communications capabilities amid growing geopolitical concerns over space-based infrastructure.