It’s official. SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Friday, delivering the final 10 Iridium Next satellites to low earth orbit. All have successfully communicated with the Iridium Satellite Network Operations Center. This was the eighth and final launch for Iridium, which included 75 new satellites deployed over the span of two years.
Iridium Completes Constellation Replacement
Key Takeaways:
- SpaceX successfully completed the final launch for Iridium, deploying the last 10 of 75 Iridium Next satellites over two years to replace its original system.
- Iridium invested $3 billion in this new, higher-bandwidth network to provide global voice, L-band broadband (Iridium Certus), and the Aireon aircraft surveillance system.
- The Iridium constellation is unique for its pole-to-pole global coverage, achieved through 66 crosslinked satellites in six polar orbiting planes.
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