CGI supports OneWeb to help optimize management of its satellite constellation

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LONDON, Dec. 7, 2021 /CNW/ - CGI (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A) designed and delivered a mission network management software system to support OneWeb, the low Earth orbit satellite communications company enabling connectivity for governments, businesses and communities in the optimization, configuration and operations of its satellite fleet and ground stations. The software system, delivered by CGI teams in the UK and Canada, is a core part of the overall OneWeb ecosystem, which enables high-speed low-latency connectivity anywhere on land, at sea and in the air. OneWeb aims to deliver coverage above 50 degrees north by the end of 2021, starting the work to bridge a long-standing connectivity gap and building secure communications capability fo r its business and government customers.

Michele Franci, OneWeb's Chief of Delivery, said: "CGI has been instrumental in bringing OneWeb to service readiness, by delivering the central ground control systems that allow our network and satellite operations teams to oversee and manage the system resources and provide seamless and continuous coverage and availability to our customers. It has been a long journey, and CGI has been part of the OneWeb family since its early days. We are grateful for the continuous support that will extend to the operational phase, allowing OneWeb to maintain very high levels of customer service."

Neil Timms, Senior Vice President for CGI's UK and Australia Space, Defence and Intelligence operations, said: "We are delighted to support OneWeb in delivering global high-speed connectivity services. CGI is uniquely placed to support OneWeb's constellation of satellites through our long-term heritage and deep domain knowledge of secure mission-critical command and control ground systems. The systems developed by our team manage vast quantities of data that include approximately 8 billion data points evaluated every day to ensure OneWeb offers the best possible service to its clients."

CGI has supported OneWeb since 2017, enabling the critical Mission Planning and Network Control software for their ongoing launch program to build a 650-strong fleet of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and 40 ground- stations. CGI developed bespoke software using both agile and waterfall methodologies and integrated best-of-breed COTS products into a CGI secure private cloud, while delivering a 24/7 managed security service to enable OneWeb to control its satellite communications network. 

The CGI systems optimize the communications capacity available to users while complying with regulatory, technological, environmental, operational and inventory constraints, all of which will change on a second-by-second basis for each of the 650 active satellites and 9,000+ beams as they move across the Earth's surface at around 7 kilometers per second. A typical 24-hour plan schedules around 60,000 handovers of satellites between ground stations. The solution not only adapts to major changes as new satellites are launched, operated and replaced, but also the evolving ground segment topology.

For more than 40 years, CGI has delivered complex, mission-critical space software systems for clients across Europe, Australia, Asia and North America, from supporting satellite navigation, communications and operations, to space-enabled applications.

About CGI
Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 80,000 consultants and other professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2021 reported revenue is C$12.13 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.

About OneWeb
OneWeb is a global communications network powered from space, headquartered in London, enabling connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities. It is implementing a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites with a network of global gateway stations and a range of user terminals to provide an affordable, fast, high-bandwidth and low-latency communications service, connected to the IoT future and a pathway to 5G for everyone, everywhere. Find out more at http://www.oneweb.world

SOURCE CGI Inc.

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