Padside

Delta II | Iridium 45 to 49

United States Air Force · Delta II 7920-10C · Space Launch Complex 2W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

United States Air Force's 987th launch · 15th this year · humanity's 4,203rd orbital launch attempt

December 20, 1997Add to calendar
Success

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

Window: Dec 20, 13:16Dec 20, 13:16 UTC

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Iridium 45 to 49

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.

Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

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Pad — Space Launch Complex 2W

99 launches from this pad · 901 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Map of Space Launch Complex 2WOpen in maps