OneWeb has now raised $1.4B in total funding after it received additional investments from Hughes Network Systems and SoftBank Group. The additional funding provides OneWeb with needed capital to come up with a constellation of 648 satellites in low-Earth orbit by the end of 2022 to deliver broadband connectivity and low-latency communication services to customers worldwide.

OneWeb has awarded Hughes Network Systems a three-year, $250 million contract to develop and manufacture essential ground system technology for the low Earth orbit constellation. "Today's announcement of a continued technology partnership with OneWeb reflects our position as the trusted innovator in the industry," said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. 

Hughes Network Systems has completed testing of a satellite communications system designed to provide helicopters beyond-line-of-sight satcom, Space News reported Monday. The company worked with partners Applied Concepts Group and GetSat to demonstrate the HeloSat system in May, June and September.

Rick Lober, vice president and general manager of Hughes Network Systems’ defense and intelligence systems segment, has said the Department of Defense should consider tapping industry for network management resources to support end-to-end global operations.

Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes Network Systems, said the company believes its investment in satellite company OneWeb has paved the way for Hughes to offer low-Earth orbit broadband connectivity to compete for the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, SpaceNews reported Wednesday.

Rick Lober, vice president and general manager of Hughes Network Systems’ defense and intelligence systems segment, has said that software-defined radios can help address the Department of Defense’s interoperability issues, Avionics International reported Friday.

Rick Lober, vice president of Hughes Network Systems’ defense and intelligence systems division, has said that the Department of Defense should start deploying a unified network system for satellite communications, Breaking Defense reported Monday.

The National Weather Service has selected ERT and Hughes Network Systems to update and further grow the agency’s satellite services across Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. bordering areas and the Pacific.

Hughes Network Systems and Virtual Network Communications have partnered to integrate satellite and LTE technology offerings in an effort to facilitate mobile network connectivity for public and private sector customers.

Hughes Network Systems has received a $11.8M contract to help the U.S. Army boost interoperability across military satellite communications systems.

Hughes Network Systems will provide a broadband internet service to state and local government agencies through a contract with the National Association of State Procurement Officials. The company said Tuesday its HughesNet for Business offering is designed to connect government offices and facilities such as schools, police stations and environmental monitoring stations.

Tony Bardo, assistant vice president for government solutions at Hughes Network Systems, has said that agencies should consider modernizing their networks instead of deploying legacy systems that are unable to keep up with bandwidth-heavy applications.

Boeing has awarded Hughes Network Systems a contract to develop satellite communications subsystems to support a U.S. Air Force ground system designed to facilitate and secure connectivity for military personnel.

Hughes Network Systems has received a two-year cooperative research and development agreement from the U.S. Army to perform studies and recommend network updates for a system architecture used to monitor friendly military forces.

Bill Hughes, formerly a partner at Guidehouse and PwC, has joined CohnReznick as partner and federal market leader.