1997

1997 · Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center

Iridium 09 to 14 & Iridium 16

successProton-K/17S40 | Iridium 09 to 14 & Iridium 16

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
June 18, 1997 at 02:02 PM UTC
Outcome
success
Launch site
81/23 (81L)
Mission
Iridium 09 to 14 & Iridium 16
Mission type
Communications
Orbit achieved
Low Earth Orbit

Payloads deployed · 7