1998

1998 · United States Air Force

Iridium 50, 52, 53, 54, 56

successDelta II | Iridium 50, 52, 53, 54, 56

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.

Overview

Date / time
February 18, 1998 at 01:58 PM UTC
Outcome
success
Launch site
Space Launch Complex 2W
Mission
Iridium 50, 52, 53, 54, 56
Mission type
Communications
Orbit achieved
Low Earth Orbit

Payloads deployed · 5