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China Aerospace CorporationLong March 2C/SDLaunch Complex 7, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Iridium 69 & 71
Launched
May 2, 1998
Summary
Iridium 69 & 71 launched on a China Aerospace Corporation Long March 2C/SD from Launch Complex 7, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China on May 2, 1998. It was China Aerospace Corporation's 21st launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 4,234th orbital launch attempt. It was the 4th Long March 2C/SD flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Iridium 69, one of 8 catalogued objects, reached a 632 × 648 km orbit inclined 86.3°. 8 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 4th Long March 2C/SD flight · 2nd this yearChina Aerospace Corporation's 21st launch2nd this yearhumanity's 4,234th orbital launch attempt27th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Iridium 69 · NORAD 25319 · 1998-026 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 8 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- IRIDIUM 69
- Object ID
- 1998-026A
- Epoch
- 1998-05-02 10:17:00 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.78788425 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0011133
- Inclination
- 86.3473°
- Ascending node
- 294.8194°
- Arg. of perigee
- 289.8674°
- Mean anomaly
- 70.1343°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
8 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 5 components; 2 still in orbit
- Iridium 69 · NORAD 25319 · in orbit
- Iridium 71 · NORAD 25320 · in orbit
CZ-2C SD-Y4 Stage 2 · re-entered June 9, 1998
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
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.
Pad
Launch Complex 7, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
6th launch from Launch Complex 7, 2nd this year · 6th from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
32 launches from this pad · 162 from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
37 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Questions
When did Iridium 69 & 71 launch?
Iridium 69 & 71 launched on May 2, 1998. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Iridium 69 & 71?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Iridium 69 & 71?
Long March 2C/SD, flown by China Aerospace Corporation. Long March 2C/SD spec sheet
Where did Iridium 69 & 71 launch from?
Launch Complex 7, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit did Iridium 69 & 71 reach?
Iridium 69, one of 8 catalogued objects, reached a 632 × 648 km orbit inclined 86.3°.
How many satellites did Iridium 69 & 71 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is Iridium 69 & 71 part of?
Iridium Constellation. About Iridium Constellation