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