News Archive / Tagged: Iridium NEXT

• ‘Flarewell’: Predictable Iridium flares nearing end

  Cullen DesforgesJune 3rd, 2019

  Professional and backyard astronomers alike have been observing predictable streaks, or flares, across the night sky for the better part of two decades.

• Iridium NEXT constellation upgrade completed

  Cullen DesforgesFebruary 12th, 2019

  Iridium Communications announced last week in a press conference that it had finished its 10-year satellite upgrade project known as Iridium NEXT.

• SpaceX starts 2019 manifest with successful Iridium 8 launch

  Curt GodwinJanuary 11th, 2019

  LOMPOC, Calif. — After enduring several delays, SpaceX successfully launched ten Iridium NEXT satellites into a polar low-Earth orbit (LEO), marking the Falcon 9’s first flight of 2019, and the last of the original contract, signed in 2010, with Iridium.

• Iridium-7 mission takes to California’s skies atop SpaceX Falcon 9

  Jason RhianJuly 25th, 2018

  Wasting no time after its launch several days ago in Florida, SpaceX sent another Falcon 9 aloft, this time from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California with the latest wave of Iridium NEXT satellites on their way to space. 

• Iridium NEXT Flight 7 being readied for launch atop SpaceX Falcon 9

  Jason RhianJuly 18th, 2018

  SpaceX is working to rack up yet another successful launch for its 2018 manifest in the next several days. As is often the case with the NewSpace firm, this mission will be a commercial flight meant to further a long-standing collaboration with one of the company’s most loyal customers.

• Painting the sky: Iridium launch closes banner year for SpaceX

  Derek RichardsonDecember 22nd, 2017

  Rounding out 2017 with its 18th flight, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with 10 more Iridium NEXT satellites. Liftoff took place at 5:27 p.m. PST (8:27 p.m. EST / 01:27 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 4 E (East) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

• Iridium-4 mission slips to December, taps ‘flight-proven’ Falcon 9 for launch

  Curt GodwinOctober 20th, 2017

  Though Iridium Communications is now targeting a launch date near the end of the year for the Iridium-4 mission, the company demonstrated its faith in the quality of SpaceX's hardware and refurbishing regime by opting to fly on a "flight-proven" Falcon 9 first stage.

• SpaceX launches 10 Iridium NEXT satellites on Iridium-3 mission

  Derek RichardsonOctober 9th, 2017

  VANDENBERG, Calif. — SpaceX flew the first Falcon 9 rocket in what could be a launch doubleheader for the NewSpace company. The Iridium-3 mission lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base and saw the third set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites placed into space.

• Iridium NEXT flight 3 gets launch date

  Collin SkocikAugust 7th, 2017

  SpaceX is targeting Sept. 30, 2017, for the liftoff of the third set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites for Iridium Communications. The launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for 9:30 a.m. EDT (13:30 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

• 2 launches, 2 landings, 2 days: Falcon 9 sends Iridium-2 satellites into space

  Derek RichardsonJune 25th, 2017

  VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — SpaceX launched, and landed, its second Falcon 9 in as many days when it sent 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into space. The mission, designated Iridium-2, launched at 1:25 p.m. PDT (4:25 p.m. EDT / 20:25 GMT) on June 25, 2017, from Space Launch Complex 4E (east).

• Iridium-2 launch moved up by 4 days

  Derek RichardsonMay 26th, 2017

  The next batch of Iridium NEXT satellites is set to fly to space four days earlier than planned. On May 25, 2017, Iridium Communications announced the new launch date atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 1:24:59 p.m. PDT (20:24:59 GMT) June 25, 2017, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

• Iridium contracts 8th SpaceX launch, shares ride with NASA satellites

  Curt GodwinFebruary 2nd, 2017

  With the successful launch of its first set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites, Iridium Communications has contracted with the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences to share a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for an early 2018 launch.

• San Pedro welcomes SpaceX’s Falcon 9 first stage

  Jason RhianJanuary 18th, 2017

  After a triumphant return-to-flight conducted on Jan. 14, the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 (1029) rocket began its journey home with its entry into the port at San Pedro, California, on Tuesday, January 17.

• SpaceX’s Falcon 9 soars skyward with 10 Iridium NEXT satellites

  Curt GodwinJanuary 14th, 2017

  After a nearly week-long delay due to weather and range conflicts, SpaceX successfully launched 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), marking the Falcon 9's first flight since the Sept. 1, 2016, AMOS-6 pad incident. As an added bonus, the first stage of the rocket successfully landed downrange on a drone ship.

• SpaceX poised to return Falcon 9 to flight Saturday

  Curt GodwinJanuary 12th, 2017

  With FAA approval secured and a hold-down firing of the first stage conducted, SpaceX is continuing to move forward with preparations for the return to flight of its Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff is currently scheduled for 10:22 a.m. PST (1:22 p.m. EST / 18:22 GMT) Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, at SLC-4E on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.