French company Arianespace has said it will carry OneWeb satellites on the Ariane 6 inaugural flight, scheduled for July 2020. A new Vinci engine will replace the HM7B upper stage engine on the Ariane 5, and the Ariane 64 version will deliver up to 11.5 metric tons — more than 25,300 pounds — to geostationary transfer orbit. Stephane Israel, CEO of Arianespace, said the terms of the agreement are set to be formalised this month, and OneWeb had two further options for Ariane 6 missions. The first option is a launch in 2019 from Kourou, French Guiana, with an initial payload capacity of up to 100 kilograms.
French company Arianespace has said it will carry OneWeb satellites on the Ariane 6 inaugural flight, scheduled for July 2020. Stephane Israel, CEO of Arianespace, said the terms of the agreement are set to be formalised this month, and OneWeb had two further options for Ariane 6 missions. The first option is a launch in 2019 from Kourou, French Guiana, with an initial payload capacity of up to 100 kilograms.