Previous Spaceflight Launches
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Delta II | Iridium 15
United Launch Alliance | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
July 9, 1997, 1:04 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
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.
Low Earth Orbit
Soyuz U | Progress M-35
Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
July 5, 1997, 4:11 a.m.
Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 | STS-94
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | United States of AmericaKennedy Space Center, FL, USA
July 1, 1997, 6:02 p.m.
Ariane 44P | INTELSAT 802
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
June 25, 1997, 11:44 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The Intelsat VIII-VIII/A series has been designed to meet the needs of Intelsat users throughout the system for improved C-band coverage and service. These spacecraft will incorporate six-fold C-band frequency reuse, two-fold frequency reuse of expanded C-band capacity, and the highest C-band power level ever for an Intelsat satellite. Consequently, Intelsat VIII will provide significantly more C-band capacity for public switched telephony and Intelsat Business Service, better quality for video services, and encourage new international VSAT applications.
Geostationary Orbit
Proton-K/17S40 | Iridium 09 to 14 & Iridium 16
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
June 18, 1997, 2:02 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
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.
Low Earth Orbit
Long March 3 | Feng Yun 2A
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation | ChinaXichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
June 10, 1997, 12:01 p.m.
Proton-K/17S40 | Araks-N 1
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
June 6, 1997, 4:56 p.m.
Ariane 44L | INMARSAT III F-4 & Insat 2D
Aérospatiale | FranceGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana
June 3, 1997, 11:20 p.m.
Proton-K/DM-2M | Telstar 5
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
May 24, 1997, 5 p.m.
Delta II | Thor II
United Launch Alliance | United States of AmericaCape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
May 20, 1997, 10:39 p.m.
