One Web

July 24, 2023

GS Paper III Science and Technology

Context:

Gujarat’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) signed a MoU with OneWeb India Communications Pvt Ltd to establish India’s first ‘satellite network portal site’ in Mehsana, Gujarat.

About OneWeb:

It is a UK-based global communication network powered from space, enabling connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities.
It is implementing a constellation of LEO satellites.
India’s Bharti Enterprises serves as a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb.

Satellite Network Portal Site:

The satellite network portal site will serve as a signal and data downlink and uplink terminal on the ground, facilitating data transmission through satellite tracking antenna systems.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, operating at 500 to 1,200 km altitude, offer high-speed and low-latency communications compared to geostationary satellites.
OneWeb has 648 satellites in LEO, making 13 orbits per day, covering the entire globe.
To achieve global coverage, 40 such satellite network portal sites are required, with India planning to have at least 2 sites – one in Gujarat and another likely in Tamil Nadu.

News Source: The Indian Express