Launch marks first complete LEO internet satellite constellation.

March 25, 2023, at 11:30 PM ET

This past weekend, a rocket blasted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India carrying 36 small communication satellites built by Gogo’s business partner OneWeb. As it lifted past the atmosphere, the launch team maneuvered the rocket and inserted each satellite into pre-planned orbital trajectories around the earth. Those 36 satellites successfully joined 582 other identical satellites already in orbit, completing OneWeb’s low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellation and marking a major milestone in the evolution of business aviation. 
 

What is LEO?

It is possible you have heard a lot of talk about LEO satellite constellations and the promise of high bandwidth global internet. Until today, most of such news has been exactly that: talk. Now, with OneWeb being the first company ever to complete a LEO internet constellation, we are one giant leap closer to providing broadband internet to every business aviation aircraft everywhere in the world.

Low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellations can radically outperform existing geostationary orbit (GEO) systems due to their size and proximity to earth. The longer the distance data must travel, the more delays, latency, and slow data speeds customers can expect. Geostationary (GEO) networks rely on satellites parked at some 36,000 kilometers. OneWeb’s constellation, by contrast, orbits at 1,200 kilometers above the earth, enabling near-real-time, high bandwidth data transfer everywhere across the globe – including over oceans and both poles. 

Due to their small size, LEO satellites are also less expensive to manufacture and deploy (OneWeb’s design is about the size of a washing machine). GEO satellites, in contrast, are expensive, bigger (usually around the size of a small bus), take much longer to build and can only be launched one at a time. Therefore, GEO satellites need to last longer for companies to fully recoup their costs; furthermore, they cannot be easily replaced as better & faster technology becomes available. Over time, LEO technology will enable rapid iteration and deployment – meaning faster speeds and performance now and next.

Why is this LEO satellite launch important to Business Aviation?

We are amid a transformational era in the history of space exploration and innovation. It was not long ago that space was the exclusive domain of large national space agencies who poured billions into large rockets, massively expensive satellites, and human flight. Today, companies such as Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX have radically brought down the cost of launch, which in turn has enabled a new generation of innovative companies who are upending what is possible. 

As the trailblazer in business aviation, Gogo understands that high-speed internet is not just convenient, it has become a modern necessity. With this launch, we are one step closer to providing best-in-class global broadband to the business aviation market. Throughout the coming year, Gogo will be releasing more information and specs on its forthcoming Global Broadband Service. 
 

Looking Ahead

Our goal is to raise the bar for inflight connectivity by providing an exceptional user experience for owners, operators, and passengers alike. In comparison to GEO options, LEO satellite broadband provides:
 
Gogo global broadband will not only deliver best-in-class bandwidth but also ensure full installation, maintenance, and customer service support when and where you need it. We are also committed to providing connectivity to every business aircraft of every size, everywhere on earth. That means full support on STCs for your aircraft and borderless connectivity at every altitude (where allowable by law). 

To find out how to prepare your aircraft now for the revolution in inflight connectivity coming next, reach out to our sales team today and get started on your journey to true global broadband.
 

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