Satellites launched to provide worldwide Internet
PRINT ALL READINGS (PDF)Worldwide Internet - Level 4
A company has launched six satellites in a multi-billion-dollar project to make low-cost Internet accessible to every corner of Earth. The company, OneWeb, launched the satellites on board a Soyuz rocket. OneWeb is planning a network of 900 satellites and will send more satellites into space at the end of this year. It will launch several rockets every month, each carrying 39 satellites. Only 648 satellites can provide global Internet coverage.
OneWeb's CEO said the network would greatly change the lives of millions of people. He said: "We're going to connect lots of people who are not currently connected." His company will focus on connecting schools, boats, planes, and "huge swathes of the planet". Not everyone is happy. China is testing jammers to block the network. North Korea and Russia might fear the network could gather intelligence and damage national security.
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Worldwide Internet - Level 5
A company has successfully launched six satellites in a multi-billion-dollar project aimed at making "affordable" Internet accessible to every corner of Earth. The company is called OneWeb. Its six satellites were put into orbit in a launch from French Guiana on board a Russian Soyuz rocket. OneWeb said it is planning a space network of 900 satellites. OneWeb will send more Internet satellites into space at the end of this year. The company plans to launch several rockets every month, each carrying 39 satellites. Only 648 satellites are needed to provide global Internet coverage.
OneWeb's CEO was excited about the launch. He said it would greatly transform the lives of millions of people. He told reporters: "We're going to connect lots of people who are not currently connected. We're going to start by focusing on connecting schools...boats...planes, and...huge swathes of the planet." Not everyone is happy with this network. China is supposedly testing jammers to block the network. North Korea might fear the network could damage its national security. Russia is worried that the network could be used to gather intelligence.
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Worldwide Internet - Level 6
A satellite start-up company has successfully launched its first satellites in a project aimed at delivering "affordable" Internet access to every corner of the globe. The London-based company is called OneWeb. Its first six satellites were put into orbit on Wednesday in a launch from French Guiana. A Russian Soyuz rocket transported the pioneering spacecraft. OneWeb said it eventually wants to have around 900 spacecraft in an extensive network in space. Only 648 satellites are needed to provide global Internet coverage. OneWeb will start sending more Internet satellites into space towards the end of this year. The company intends to launch several rockets every month, each carrying 39 satellites.
OneWeb CEO Adrian Steckel was ecstatic about the launch of the multi-billion-dollar project. He said it would greatly transform the lives of millions of people. He told reporters: "We're going to connect lots of people who are not currently connected. We're going to start by focusing on connecting schools, connecting boats, connecting planes, and connecting huge swathes of the planet." Not everyone is happy at the prospect of a global Internet network. Reports are that China is testing jammers to block the network. North Korea might also fear the network could damage its national security. Russia has voiced concerns that OneWeb's network could be used to gather intelligence.
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