What: Iridium Communications, in partnership with SpaceX, is prepared to launch its first ten Iridium NEXT satellites tomorrow, January 14th, on the Falcon 9 rocket. The full payload and rocket have been transported to the launch pad and have completed their launch countdown dress rehearsal and final clearance, otherwise known as a “Launch Readiness Review.” This will be the first of seven Iridium launches on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Iridium NEXT is the company’s $3 billion next-generation mobile, global satellite constellation scheduled for completion in 2018. Iridium NEXT represents the evolution of critical communications infrastructure that governments and organizations worldwide rely upon to drive business, enable connectivity, empower disaster relief efforts and more. Iridium NEXT will introduce new services like the AireonSM space-based ADS-B aircraft surveillance and flight tracking network. The Iridium NEXT satellites are manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and assembled at Orbital ATK’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona.
When: Launch is Scheduled for, January 14th at 09:54:39 a.m. PST / 17:54:39 UTC
Who: Iridium Communications and SpaceX
Where: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California – SpaceX launch site
A live feed of the launch will be available starting twenty minutes prior to launch at: http://www.spacex.com/webcast
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.