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Delta Launches Five Iridium Satellites
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A Boeing Delta 2
7920-10C successfully launched 5 Iridium satellites from
Vandenberg AFB, launch pad SLC-2W, at 17:43:44 UTC (9:43:44 PST) on February
11. This is the 12th Delta 2  launch
of Iridium satellites, 11 Delta 2s having previously successfully
launched 55 Iridium spacecraft, between May 1997 and November
1998. A total of 88 Iridium spacecraft have been launched using
Delta 2, Long March and Proton rockets. Sixty-six of the
satellites serve as the primary constellation providing coverage
worldwide. This launch will bring the total number of on-orbit
spares to 12 satellites. The new satellite spares will be placed
in an 667 km (360 nmi) storage orbit, and will not be raised to
their 780 km (421 nmi) operational orbit until needed. Twelve satellites have malfunctioned in
space (Iridium has only reported 11 failures) of which four have
been deorbited. A Rockot launch of two additional on-orbit spare
satellites is planned for June.
Iridium
originally introduced commercial service in November 1998, but
failed to attract sufficient subscribers due to the US$3,000 phone
 and
US$7 per minute airtime fees. Iridium LLC sought bankruptcy
protection in August 1999. In December 2000 Dan Colussy, an
aviation industry veteran, purchased the assets of Iridium LLC,
including the satellite constellation and the terrestrial network
for about US$25 million. Iridium Satellite LLC resumed service in
March 2001, with cheaper prices. Among other customers, the U.S.
Department of Defense has signed a multi-year contract for
unlimited airtime for up to 20,000 government users.
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