Specialist IT group SCISYS, which has an office in Bristol, has landed a contract to play a pivotal role in the launch of the world’s largest satellite constellation which aims to provide connectivity to billions of people around the world.
The OneWeb global satellite system will consist of 648 orbiting mini-satellites which together will connect billions of people 
around the world without broadband to the internet. It has received funding from Virgin Galactic and Arianespace and is working with Airbus Defence and Space on the construction of the satellites, the first of which will be launched next year.
Chippenham-headquartered SCISYS, which has its roots in the European Space Agency, has signed a contract with OneWeb for its satellite mission-planning software based on its Pleniter suite of products – the first commercial order for what the firm says is a key element of its growth strategy.
No financial details of the contract have been released.
Pleniter is targeted at operators of commercial space flights. SCISYS said it would also further improve the company’s competitive edge in the well-established public space sector.
SCISYS has also recently partnered with Germany-based PTScientists who plan to land a privately funded rover on the moon for Google’s Lunar-XPRIZE competition using Pleniter.
The OneWeb contract win links SCISYS with a select group of leading technology companies in the international space business and will support one of the most ambitious communications satellite mission in decades.
SCISYS CEO Klaus Heidrich said: “I am delighted about SCISYS’ first commercial contract win based on our proprietary Pleniter product suite and about being part of OneWeb’s inspiring programme.
“My congratulations go to the entire team in our Space division who contribute to the Pleniter product. It substantiates our innovative strategic growth initiatives and opens up complete new areas to grow our well-established space business further.”
OneWeb chief executive officer Eric Béranger added: “OneWeb is very pleased to partner with SCISYS for our fleet operations mission-planning solution.
“Our team thoroughly researched existing mission-planning systems and concluded the SCISYS products were the best fit for our automated satellite operations centre.
“We believe Pleniter gives us the flexibility, functionality, and scalability, to solve our complex mission planning goals.”
SCISYS also supplies bespoke software systems, and IT-based support services to the media, government, defence and environment sectors.
The group, which employs nearly 450 staff across its offices in Brislington, Chippenham, Leicester and Reading and two in Germany, announced an operating profit of £1.1m in the six months to the end of June compared to a £1.1m loss at the same time last year.
