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CONTACT:
Sarah Levanti
Sr Manager, Marketing & Communications
(321) 638-2000
Slevanti@SpaceCoastEDC.org 
 

OneWeb Satellites Opens 105,500 Square-Foot Production Facility

on Florida’s Space Coast

EDC’s Lynda Weatherman joins government officials and local partners in celebration of milestone.
 

Space Coast, FL (July 22, 2019) – Today, OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture of OneWeb and Airbus, officially opened the world’s first high-volume, high-speed advanced satellite production facility in Exploration Park on Florida’s Space Coast. Today’s milestone is the next step in advancing the company’s investment on Florida’s Space Coast, which was first announced in 2016 by the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast’s (EDC) after a highly competitive site selection process. This state-of-the-art facility will employ 250 new high-tech workers and create an additional 3,000 indirect jobs through the supply chain.

The OneWeb Satellites facility is the first to employ industrial-scale mass production techniques for satellites, enabling dramatic cost savings and reduced production times. The company plans to deliver one satellite per production shift or two a day, significantly expanding internet connectivity and making space technology far more accessible.

The EDC’s President and CEO Lynda Weatherman joined government officials including U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, U.S. Senator Rick Scott, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Manisha Singh, in celebrating the opening of the 105,500 square foot production facility.

“OneWeb is making a difference across the globe with its mission of connectivity for all and the EDC is honored to celebrate today’s milestone,” said Lynda Weatherman. “OneWeb’s selection of Brevard County demonstrates the Space Coast’s leadership in high-tech talent and innovation, furthering our region as the leader in the next generation of space related activities.”

“OneWeb Satellites and its partners are transforming the satellite and space industry. By producing high quality satellites at a fraction of the cost and schedule of traditional manufacturers, we are not only enabling OneWeb to connect the planet, we are making space dramatically more accessible to everyone,” said Tony Gingiss, CEO of OneWeb Satellites.

“This is a defining moment in the history of OneWeb, and the space industry. With today’s opening, we are one step closer to connecting the unconnected for the benefit of societies all over the world,” said Adrian Steckel, CEO of OneWeb. “As we gear up for more satellite launches at the end of the year, this facility will ensure we can begin delivering global connectivity in some areas as early as next year and globally in 2021.”

For more information visit www.OneWebSatellites.com 

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About the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high-tech companies. The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast. Visit www.SpaceCoastEDC.org.

About OneWeb Satellites
OneWeb Satellites is a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb that was formed in 2016 to design and manufacture the satellites for the OneWeb constellation. In the process, OneWeb Satellites has revolutionized satellite manufacturing by being the first to utilize commoditization and mass production techniques to dramatically reduce production times and costs. Where a traditional satellite may cost tens of millions of dollars and take years to build, we can do it at a far lower cost and at a production rate of up to two per day. Our mission is not limited to the OneWeb program. Through our partnership with Airbus, we are offering to the market a standardized, mass produced satellite platform and payload interface that can be compatible with many different payloads, providing end-users with dramatic cost savings and opening the door for missions that were previously unthinkable.

Image 1: Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast welcomes OneWeb Satellites new facility in Exploration Park on Florida’s Space Coast.

Image 2: The official ribbon cutting for OneWeb Satellites new facility in Exploration Park on Florida’s Space Coast with government officials and company executives.