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

Airbus U.S. Space & Defense recently retooled the Merritt Island factory to accomodate 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 on orbit.