Iridium 55 to 60
Delta II
United States Air Force
Mission
Iridium 55 to 60
- Type: Communications
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
- Launch Cost: $51,000,000
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.
Location
Space Launch Complex 2W
Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Space Launch Complex 2W has witnessed the launch of 96 rockets, including 96 orbital launch attempts, while Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA, has been the site for 749 rocket launches.
Rocket
United Launch Alliance Delta II 7920-10C
Delta II is an American space launch system developed by McDonnell Douglas, now part of the Delta rocket family operated by United Launch Alliance. With more than 150 missions and a nearly perfect track record, Delta II has established itself as one of the most successful orbital launch systems.
Agency
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947.