Press release -
Eutelsat selects Airbus Defence and Space to build OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation extension
- First batches targeted for delivery from end-2026, assuring service continuity and enhancement for existing and future customers
- Paving the way for the future IRIS2constellation
- Fully compatible with Eutelsat’s FY 2025 Capital Expenditure guidance and longer-term financial framework
Paris, 17 December 2024 - Eutelsat Group (ISIN: FR0010221234 - Euronext Paris / London Stock Exchange: ETL), has selected Airbus Defence and Space to build the extension of its OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation.
Under a contract signed between the two companies, Airbus will build the first batches of the extension, totalling 100 satellites, with delivery targeted starting end of calendar-2026, ensuring continuity and enhancement of service for current and future customers.
The new satellites will embark key technology upgrades, notably 5G on-ground integration. They will be technologically compatible with Europe’s IRIS2 constellation, paving the way for its entry into operational service in 2030, and of which Eutelsat will be the main architect and operator of the LEO segment.
The procurement of these satellites is integrated within Eutelsat’s Capital Expenditure outlook for 2025, and fully compatible with its longer-term financial framework.
Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat Group commented: "We are relying on our long-standing partner, Airbus, to begin building the first batches of the Next Generation of our OneWeb LEO constellation, which will ensure we deliver continuity of service of the existing constellation with enhanced service features, as we move towards an architecture in line with the IRIS2constellation in 2030. Our in-market experience shows us that the appetite for low Earth orbit capacity is growing rapidly, and we are excited to embark on the next stage of our journey to satisfy that demand.”
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About Eutelsat Group
Eutelsat Group is a global leader in satellite communications, delivering connectivity and broadcast services worldwide. The Group was formed through the combination of the Company and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 Geostationary satellites and a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites. The Group addresses the needs of customers in four key verticals of Video, where it distributes more than 6,500 television channels, and the high-growth connectivity markets of Mobile Connectivity, Fixed Connectivity, and Government Services. Eutelsat Group’s unique suite of in-orbit assets and ground infrastructure enables it to deliver integrated solutions to meet the needs of global customers. The Company is headquartered in Paris and the Eutelsat Group employs more than 1,500 people across more than 50 countries. The Group is committed to delivering safe, resilient, and environmentally sustainable connectivity to help bridge the digital divide. The Company is listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL) and the London Stock Exchange (ticker: ETL)
Find out more at www.eutelsat.com
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Investors
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DISCLAIMER
The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management’s views and assumptions as of the date of this document. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: risks related to the health crisis; operational risks related to satellite failures or impaired satellite performance, or failure to roll out the deployment plan as planned and within the expected timeframe; risks related to the trend in the satellite telecommunications market resulting from increased competition or technological changes affecting the market; risks related to the international dimension of the Group's customers and activities; risks related to the adoption of international rules on frequency coordination and financial risks related, inter alia, to the financial guarantee granted to the Intergovernmental Organization's closed pension fund, and foreign exchange risk. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this document to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. The information contained in this document is not based on historical fact and should not be construed as a guarantee that the facts or data mentioned will occur. This information is based on data, assumptions and estimates that the Group considers as reasonable.
