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OneWeb on Sunday announced the successful deployment of 36 satellites launched by ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. 

Bharti Global is the largest investor in OneWeb, a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company.

This latest launch by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NSIL marks one of the biggest commercial orders by India’s premier space organisation, and the first using the LVM3 rocket, OneWeb said in a statement.

OneWeb said it is committed to providing connectivity across the length and breadth of India by 2023.

“36 OneWeb satellites successfully launched by ISRO/ NSIL from Sriharikota,” the statement said.

On the successful deployment, OneWeb said this is the 14th launch and the second this year. This brings the total of OneWeb’s constellation to 462 satellites, representing more than 70 percent of its planned 648 Low Earth Orbit satellite fleet that will deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity globally.

“With only four more launches to go, OneWeb remains on track to activate global coverage by 2023, while its connectivity solutions are already live in regions north of 50-degrees latitude,” the statement added.

The teaming up with NSIL and ISRO demonstrates OneWeb’s commitment to provide connectivity across the length and breadth of India by 2023, it said.

The LVM3 launch vehicle, realised with complete indigenised technology, had four consecutive successful missions, which includes the critical Chandrayaan-2 mission. The vehicle underwent several critical tests as a part of human rating for Gaganyaan programme. The cryo stage was designed to orient and re-orient in orthogonal direction to meet the customer requirements of injecting satellites precisely and with a gap to avoid collision. The vehicle was realised in a short span of time on demand driven basis to meet the user’s timeline.

Somanath S, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, ISRO described the event as one “very historic” to the country and the Indian space programme.

“This is the first ever commercial launch of LVM3 with a heaviest payload to LEO. The mission is very critical to meet the customer’s expectations to launch 36 satellites in 9 phases with precision,” Somanath said.

OneWeb Executive Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said the launch is a significant milestone for the company.

“This new phase of our launch programme from India brings us a step closer to not only enhancing our global coverage but also delivering connectivity in India and South Asia, particularly to the communities who need it most,” Mittal said.

Over the coming months, OneWeb will continue its focus on the launch programme and will also work with key distribution partners and customers to roll out connectivity solutions where its services are live.

The broadband-from-space services are being touted as the next frontier in the India’s growing communications market.

The stage is all set for some high-voltage action as big names like Jio and OneWeb gear up for a slice of the lucrative satellite-based broadband services market in India. Nelco and Telesat too have completed successful LEO demonstrations in the country for enterprise, telecom and government sectors.

The broadband-from-space segment is also being keenly watched by tech billionaire Elon Musk‘s SpaceX Starlink and Amazon‘s Project Kuiper.

Buying an affordable 5G smartphone today usually means you will end up paying a “5G tax”. What does that mean for those looking to get access to 5G networks as soon as they launch? Find out on this week’s episode. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Massive Steam Plume Spotted at Alaska’s Mount Spurr as Volcano May Erupt Soon

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April 4, 2025

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Massive Steam Plume Spotted at Alaska’s Mount Spurr as Volcano May Erupt Soon

A large steam plume has been seen emerging from Mount Spurr in Alaska, signalling increased volcanic activity. Images shared by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) on March 28 confirmed steam and gas emissions visible from the volcano’s summit and a northern vent. The volcano is located around 80 miles west of Anchorage and stands at 11,070 feet high. The experts have revealed that there could be a possible eruption in the coming weeks or months. However, nothing is certain yet.

Increased Signs of Unrest Reported

According to the latest update by the Alaska Volcano Observatory steam was observed rising from the summit on March 26. A smaller plume was also recorded from a fumarole on the volcano’s northern flank. No immediate changes in seismic activity or gas levels were detected during these observations as per the AVO statement.

The AVO had earlier mentioned in a March 11 update that a noticeable rise in gas emissions indicates fresh magma has moved into the crust beneath Mount Spurr. This has led scientists to assess the chance of an eruption in the near future. The observatory clarified that the exact timing of any eruption cannot be predicted yet.

Hazards and Possible Alerts

The observatory has cautioned that the volcano’s alert level might be raised if there are further signs of escalation. According to AVO, this may include persistent seismic tremors, increased gas emissions or visible surface changes. If an eruption occurs, possible hazards include ash clouds impacting flights, ashfall across nearby areas, pyroclastic flows and mudflows known as lahars.

The volcano last erupted in 1992. That eruption resulted in heavy ashfall and affected air travel in the region. AVO has advised residents and visitors to stay informed and follow safety instructions if alerts are raised.

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Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer

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April 4, 2025

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Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer

A towering spiral of plasma has been recorded extending millions of kilometres from the Sun. The video was taken by the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter during an eight-hour period on October 12, 2022. A coronal mass ejection caused the plasma to rise from the Sun’s surface. The footage captured something which was never observed before. It showed a swirling motion in the solar wind. As per the latest report, scientists also recorded bright streaks that were moving across the frame. Researchers also revealed that these streaks appeared as pixelated lines, which might also ressemble like UFOs. Scientists later confirmed they were distant stars visible due to the imaging process.

Study Identifies Plasma Formation as a Pseudostreamer

The study published in The Astrophysical Journal revealed that the massive structure that appeared in the photos was a large pseudostreamer. It was formed near the Sun’s north pole after a solar flare erupted. The report further highlighted that the plasma reached 1.5 times the Sun’s width and remained visible for three hours. Scientists believes the twisting movement of the plasma was due to Alfvénic fluctuations. These fluctuations happen when waves of charged particles respond to magnetic disturbances. Scientists says the pseudostreamer’s location influenced its unique shape. Magnetic fields at the Sun’s poles are stronger than those near the equator.

Unusual Streaks Explained

The video also showed bright, half-dark lines crossing the screen. These lines appeared to move in a pattern similar to arcade game graphics. ESA confirmed that these were distant stars. The video’s editing technique made them appear as streaks rather than points of light. The Solar Orbiter’s movement against the background created this effect.

Solar Activity Expected to Intensify

The Sun is currently experiencing solar maximum. Flares and solar winds have increased since early 2024. The pseudostreamer in the video formed before this peak. Scientists were surprised by its early appearance. ESA’s Solar Orbiter continues to capture detailed images of solar wind. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and ESA’s Proba-3 mission are also studying these phenomena. More extreme solar winds are expected in the coming years.

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SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket, Booster Lands Safely

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April 4, 2025

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SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket, Booster Lands Safely

SpaceX has sent another batch of satellites into orbit. On April 3, a Falcon 9 rocket launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket lifted off at 9.02 p.m. Eastern Time and was followed by a successful landing of the first-stage booster on a drone ship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. This booster had already been used on four earlier flights. The satellites are expected to be deployed nearly an hour after takeoff if mission steps proceed as planned. The launch formed part of SpaceX’s continued effort to expand its low Earth orbit network.

Details from the Launch Mission Description

According to the mission information provided by SpaceX, the launch marked the fifth use of the same Falcon 9 booster. The drone ship used for recovery was named “Of Course I Still Love You”. This reusable system has become a routine part of SpaceX operations. The booster’s return was completed around eight minutes after liftoff. The launch contributed to the growing total of Starlink satellites which is aimed at building a global broadband network.

Launch Activity in 2025

This latest mission has brought the number of Falcon 9 launches in 2025 to 38. About two-thirds of those have supported the expansion of the Starlink constellation. Earlier this week, two separate launches were also completed. One of them included the Fram2 private astronaut mission, which carried crew members into orbit over Earth’s poles. That mission marked a new milestone in human spaceflight.

Starlink Satellite Network

Over 7100 satellites are now part of the Starlink constellation. The system is already the largest of its kind. SpaceX continues to work on expanding its coverage by launching more satellites regularly. The objective remains to provide consistent internet access worldwide, especially in regions with limited connectivity options.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.


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