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Iridium Announces Successful First Launch of Iridium NEXT Satellites into Low-Earth Orbit

By Ken Briodagh January 16, 2017

Iridium Communications has announced the successful launch of its first ten Iridium NEXT satellites, which were delivered into low-Earth orbit approximately one hour after the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Iridium NEXT is the company’s next-generation satellite constellation, replacing and enhancing its existing network of low-Earth orbit satellites, which is currently the largest commercial satellite constellation in space.

This is the start of a series of Iridium NEXT launches scheduled over the next 18 months to completely replace the only satellite constellation providing 100-percent truly global communications coverage. Once fully deployed, Iridium NEXT is designed to enable a new broadband multi-service capability called Iridium Certus, while providing the technical flexibility to support innovative new services and technologies from Iridium’s extensive partner network. Among those technologies is a payload from Iridium’s partner Aireon, which will provide a real-time global aircraft surveillance service.

The first ten Iridium NEXT satellites were delivered to a 625 kilometer (km) temporary parking orbit where they will be tested and exercised by Iridium over the coming weeks. Upon meeting testing and validation requirements, the company will shift the satellites into a 780km operational orbit and begin providing service to Iridium’s customers. One-by-one, the new satellites will be positioned near a current generation satellite as testing begins. Iridium’s unique inter-satellite communication links from nearby satellites will be repositioned to point to the new Iridium NEXT satellite as it prepares to take over service. Existing satellites will eventually be de-boosted and de-orbited.

“Today Iridium launches a new era in the history of our company and a new era in space as we start to deliver the next-generation of satellite communications,” said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. “We have been working endless hours for the last eight years to get to this day, and to finally be here with ten Iridium NEXT satellites successfully launched into low-Earth orbit is a fulfilling moment.  We are incredibly thankful for all of the hard work from our team, as well as our partners, to help us achieve this milestone.”

Both Thales Alenia Space, System Prime Contractor for the program, and its subcontractor for production, Orbital ATK, have been integral in the development of the Iridium NEXT program, from the design and manufacturing of the Iridium NEXT satellite vehicles to managing an 18-station, state-of-the-art assembly line production system.

“Leading a worldwide team to manufacture, assemble, test and prepare each satellite for this moment has been incredibly exciting,” said Bertrand Maureau, EVP, telecommunications, Thales Alenia Space.  “We are very proud to have conducted such a unique program, in terms of scale and complexity as well as to have successfully completed the end-to-end whole constellation on-ground validation. The system is fully tested, and the compatibility of Iridium NEXT with the Block-1 operating satellites has been perfectly demonstrated. It has truly been an honor, and we are looking forward to completing the rest of the Iridium NEXT constellation through 2017 and early 2018.”

“We are proud to be a part of this revolutionary satellite program,” said Frank Culbertson, president of Orbital ATK’s Space Systems Group.  “Seeing these first ten satellites launch successfully into space is the result of a unique assembly-line process at our satellite manufacturing facility that represents a remarkable achievement. We look forward to seeing the innovative solutions these satellites, which are great examples of leading-edge technology and manufacturability, will enable.”




Edited by Alicia Young
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