Iridium Next Satellites 66 75

Iridium next 8 66 75 january 11 2019 42 15 31 utc vafb slc 4e falcon 9 block 5 the 10 iridium next satellites launched as part of this final mission were deployed to orbital plane three.

Iridium next satellites 66 75. Leopold and ken peterson in late 1987 in 1988 protected. With communications solutions ranging from satellite phones to broadband terminals iridium is trusted by more than a million mariners pilots humanitarians first responders and governments around the world. Nine minutes after launch the 1st stage of the falcon 9 rocket landed successfully on a floating platform in the pacific ocean. The launch completes the 3 billion iridium next constellation which now numbers 75 satellites 66 operational units and nine spares in low earth orbit.

The first generation launch campaign was completed in 2002 for a total of 95 satellites launched. The iridium next constellation will offer global connectivity thanks to 66 interconnected satellites at an altitude of 780 km along with nine spares in parking orbits and six more spare satellites on the ground. The iridium satellite constellation provides l band voice and data information coverage to satellite phones pagers and integrated transceivers over the entire earth surface. Conceived in 1987 and born a year later the iridium network launched commercial service 10 years later amidst the largest satellite launch program at the time.

Desch said iridium projects a lifespan of 15 years or more for the iridium next satellites. Iridium communications owns and operates the constellation additionally selling equipment and access to its services it was conceived by bary bertiger raymond j. A spacex falcon 9 rocket launched the iridium next iridium 8 66 75 mission on friday january 11 2019 at 3 31 pm utc. Each iridium next satellite is equipped with star tracker sensors provided by leonardo to guarantee attitude determination and control.

The iridium next network covers the entire earth including poles oceans and airways with 66 satellites with the remaining 9 acting as active backups for a total of 75 launched.