Eutelsat orders 340 Airbus satellites to compete with Starlink

Eutelsat has ordered 340 new satellites from Airbus to renew and expand its OneWeb constellation in space. The companies announced the deal on Monday.

The French and British government-backed operator said the satellites will replace older spacecraft as they reach the end of service. The move aims to keep OneWeb operating without interruption.

OneWeb launched its first satellites about six years ago. At that time, the business operated as a London-based company before it merged with Eutelsat in 2023.

The latest order adds to a previous purchase of 100 satellites placed in December 2024. Together, the two contracts bring the total number of satellites ordered for OneWeb to 440.

Airbus will begin delivering the new satellites from the end of 2026. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the latest contract.

Eutelsat previously said it needed 340 additional satellites beyond the first 100 to extend the network. The extension would last until the European Union’s IRIS² constellation becomes available.

The company estimated last year that the full extension programme would cost between 2 billion and 2.2 billion euros. That spending would take place between 2024 and 2029.

OneWeb operates a low Earth orbit satellite network. These satellites fly much closer to Earth than traditional satellites, which reduces signal delay and improves internet speed.

Low Earth orbit systems beam broadband internet from space. They serve businesses, governments and consumers in areas with limited ground-based networks.

Eutelsat gained more attention from European governments last year. It owns the only other low Earth orbit constellation besides Starlink, which is controlled by Elon Musk.

Governments see such systems as critical infrastructure. They support secure communications and digital access across wide regions.

France led a 1.5-billion-euro capital increase in 2025 to support Eutelsat. The United Kingdom and other anchor investors joined the funding round.

Eutelsat said the investment strengthened its finances. The company aims to remain competitive as it faces growing pressure from Starlink.