Starlink rival Eutelsat plans OneWeb expansion after €1 billion satellite order

Eutelsat ordered 229 additional low-Earth-orbit satellites from Airbus for about €1 billion to expand and replenish its OneWeb constellation. The order follows a previous batch of 440 satellites and is intended to maintain a network of more than 600 spacecraft at roughly 1,200 kilometres altitude for government and enterprise connectivity through 2034. Deliveries of the earlier batch are due to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, while two Ariane launch missions are planned for 2027 and 2028.