flown missionSuccess

Delta II | Iridium 45 to 49

United States Air ForceSpace Launch Complex 2W — Vandenberg SFB, CA, USADec 20, 1997, 13:16 UTC

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

mission

Name: Iridium 45 to 49
Type: Communications
Target orbit: Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

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.

schedule

NET (no earlier than): Dec 20, 1997, 13:16 UTC
Window opens: Dec 20, 1997, 13:16 UTC
Window closes: Dec 20, 1997, 13:16 UTC
Last updated: Dec 30, 2023, 10:33 UTC

vehicle & provider

Rocket: Delta II 7920-10C
Family: Delta
Variant: 7920-10C
Provider: United States Air Force
Type: Government
Country: USA

launch site

Pad: Space Launch Complex 2W
Location: Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Country: USA
Timezone: America/Los_Angeles
Coordinates: 34.7556, -120.6224