Airbus Purchases Eutelsat OneWeb’s Stake in AOAS joint venture

Ibadan, 30, January 2024. – Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc. has announced the completion of a deal with Eutelsat OneWeb to purchase its 50% share of the Airbus OneWeb Satellites (AOS) joint venture. As a result, Airbus is now the sole owner of AOS and the satellite manufacturing facility in Merritt Island, Florida. Both parties expect the new structure to provide maximum efficiency and increased competitiveness for commercial, institutional and national security space customers.

Airbus U.S. Space & Defence recently retooled the Merritt Island factory to accommodate the Arrow450 production line and is starting an expansion project to meet increased demand for small satellites from commercial and Government customers deepening the company’s presence in Florida. The Airbus OneWeb Satellites joint venture, established in 2016, built more than 600 satellites at the rate of two per day for the OneWeb first-generation constellation currently operating in orbit.

Speaking on the deal, Robert Geckle, Chairman and CEO of Airbus U.S. Space & Defense, Inc, said, “This agreement furthers our position as a market leader in the small satellite constellation business, building on our successful partnership with OneWeb. ” The CEO also added, “We will continue mass-producing small satellites for our customers and are excited for what the future holds for us on Florida’s Space Coast as we move forward.”

Likewise, Massimiliano Ladovaz of the Eutelsat Group, commented, “We are proud to partner with Airbus in this joint venture which has assured the successful build of OneWeb’s First Generation constellation. We are confident the business will continue to thrive by addressing the growing demand for small sats, with a best-in-class, competitive offer. Looking ahead, Eutelsat Group will benefit from being able to call on a more diversified range of suppliers for its future in-orbit needs.”