Rocket Lab to Supply Solar Panels for Eutelsat Next-Gen OneWeb Constellation

In an official post published on 12 March 2025, Rocket Lab announced their new contract with Airbus Constellation Satellites. This contract will see the US-based space company provide the components necessary to develop Eutelsat’s satellite constellation.

Rocket Lab’s Solar Panels to Power the Future of Europe’s Satellite Connectivity

Rocket Lab will provide solar panels, carbon composite panel substrates, solar cells, and photovoltaic assembles for OneWeb satellites.

These components will help deliver the Eutelsat OneWeb constellation with the necessary power to stay in orbit. Rocket Lab says that it’ll provide over 200 of these components, which will be used to develop over 100 satellites.

The amount of power to be generated by these solar panels and other components is approximately 80kW, which is “enough to power 16 Hubble-sized space telescopes,” the company says.

This isn’t the first time that Airbus has contracted the space company for similar projects. With this project, both firms are extending their collaboration, which started in 2021 by developing the first fleet of OneWeb satellites.

Rocket Lab To Play A Significant Role In The Possible Future Of Europe’s Satellite Internet Connectivity

The recent feud between the US and Ukraine has questioned the existence of Starlink in the war-struck region. For this reason, the EU is looking to invest in alternatives, hence moving away from dependency on Starlink for satellite internet connectivity.

By increasing the number of satellites in its current constellation, Eutelsat can better serve more regions. The next-gen OneWeb satellite constellation will be available in 2026 as it is already under development.
Rocket Lab’s solar panels are a crucial part of this constellation, which aims to expand Eutelsat’s coverage.