Iridium continues to make fast progress with its satellite rollout following a successful launch of a Delta II rocket carrying five Iridium satellites. This brings the total number of Iridium operational satellites on orbit to 56.
The five satellites are part of Iridium 66-satellite wireless personal telecommunications network designed to offer full global coverage and a variety of communications services, including voice, data, fax and paging to handheld subscriber equipment. This was Iridium’s twelfth successful launch in the last 10 months, with three more launches scheduled over the next five weeks to complete the satellite network.
“It’s been an exciting five days — two launches from opposite ends of the
Earth carrying a total of seven Iridium satellites into orbit,” said Edward F. Staiano, Iridium CEO. “With 80 percent of our constellation deployed, Iridium now enters the six month countdown to September 23rd, the launch of our commercial service. We look forward to working with our international partners to launch the remaining satellites and meet the challenge of becoming truly global on our first day of service.”
Following the Delta launch, the next seven Iridium satellites will be launched via a Proton rocket – the last of three Proton launches for Iridium. The launch is scheduled for April 2, 1998 at 8:41:13 a.m. from Baikonur space center, Republic of Kazakhstan.
The final Proton launch will be the thirteenth in eleven months, bringing total operational satellites on orbit to 63 out of a planned 66-satellite constellation.
“We continue to set industry records with each launch, and remain on target with an ambitious launch schedule as we enter the final months of the
deployment campaign for the Iridium system,” said Motorola Chief Executive
Officer Christopher Galvin. “The Boeing Company has played a significant role in this success, having launched more than 50 percent of the Iridium
constellation to date,” he added.
The Boeing Delta rocket lifted off the launch pad at 10:02 p.m. PST. Satellite separation occurred approximately 80 minutes after liftoff. The five satellites will be maneuvered into their respective positions to become part of the operational constellation.
