Iridium provides global mobile telecommunications services using a constellation of 66 low earth orbit satellites in a 86.4° inclined orbit. Although 77 satellites were originally envisioned for the system and spawned the name based on the 77th element in the periodic table, the system has been scaled back. Motorola’s Satellite Communications Group designed and manufactured the Iridium satellites with Lockheed Martin providing the LM-700A spacecraft buses.
Launch Overview
Window Open
14:02 UTC
Window Close
14:02 UTC
Lift Off
Jun 18, 1997 · 14:02 UTC
Launch Facility
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Launch Pad
81/23 (81L)
Target Orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Payload Overview
Customer
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Iridium provides global mobile telecommunications services using a constellation of 66 low earth orbit satellites in a 86.4° inclined orbit. Although 77 satellites were originally envisioned for the system and spawned the name based on the 77th element in the periodic table, the system has been scaled back. Motorola’s Satellite Communications Group designed and manufactured the Iridium satellites with Lockheed Martin providing the LM-700A spacecraft buses.
Height
LEO Payload
Total Launches
Status
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
81/23 (81L)
Launch Overview
Window Open
14:02 UTC
Window Close
14:02 UTC
Lift Off
Jun 18, 1997 · 14:02 UTC
Launch Facility
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Launch Pad
81/23 (81L)
Target Orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Payload Overview
Customer
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center