Tag: Iridium NEXT Mission 2
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Video: Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg, lands in Pacific
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Sunday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and carried 10 Iridium communications satellites toward a perch in low Earth orbit, then the launcher’s first stage nailed a landing on a platform positioned in the Pacific Ocean. The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket took off at 1:25:14 p.m. PDT (4:25:14 p.m.…
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Timeline for Falcon 9’s second launch of Iridium satellites
Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent to orbit with the second set of 10 next-generation satellites for Iridium’s voice and data relay fleet. The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket will lift off Saturday at 1:25:14 p.m. PDT (4:25:14 p.m. EDT; 2025:14 GMT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Data source: SpaceX T-0:00:00:…
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Falcon 9 rocket launching Sunday sports fin upgrade
The new grid fins, seen here in black, will aid in the recovery and reuse of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket boosters. Credit: SpaceX Redesigned titanium steering fins will fly aboard a Falcon 9 rocket launching Sunday from California, part of upgrades SpaceX says will ease the reuse of future boosters. The Falcon 9 rocket is…
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Photos: Iridium satellites prepped for Falcon 9 flight
The second set of Iridium’s next-generation satellites to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket were prepared for liftoff inside a climate-controlled clean room at Vandenberg Air Force Base over the last few weeks. The 10 Iridium satellites were trucked from their factory near Phoenix two-at-a-time to Vandenberg in May and early June, then bolted…
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Video: Rocketcam replay of Iridium satellite deployment
Watch a replay of one of Iridium’s 10 communications satellites launched Sunday deploys from a dispenser mounted on the forward end of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 upper stage. All 10 voice and data relay satellites separated from the launcher about one hour after liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Email the author. Follow Stephen…
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Live coverage: Ten Iridium satellites successfully deployed by Falcon 9 rocket
Live coverage of the countdown and launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California with 10 next-generation Iridium communications satellites. SpaceX’s live video coverage begins at approximately 4:10 p.m. EDT (2010 GMT; 1:10 p.m. PDT). Text updates will appear automatically below; there is no need to reload the page. Follow…
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SpaceX rocket passes key preflight test before liftoff from California
The 10 Iridium Next communications satellites slated to launch Sunday from California were recently encapsulated inside the Falcon 9 rocket’s payload fairing. Credit: Iridium Juggling simultaneous launch campaigns on both coasts, a team of SpaceX engineers put a Falcon 9 rocket through a customary countdown rehearsal and hold-down firing Tuesday at Vandenberg Air Force Base…
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Iridium hails performance of new satellites, targets four more launches this year
Artist’s concept of an Iridium Next satellite in space. Credit: Thales Alenia Space Eight of Iridium’s first ten upgraded communications satellites launched in January started providing voice and data relay service ahead of schedule, and SpaceX says it can launch up to 40 more Iridium spacecraft by the end of the year, Iridium officials reported…