Iridium signs launch contract with SpaceX
Posted: Thu, Jun 17, 2010, 7:10 AM ET (1110 GMT)
Communications satellite company Iridium announced Wednesday a nearly $500-million contract with SpaceX to launch its next generation of satellites. The $492-million contract covers an unspecified number of launches of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying Iridium NEXT satellites. Those launches are scheduled to take place from 2015 to 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Each Falcon 9 will launch several Iridium satellites, although the exact number will depend on the final size of the next-generation spacecraft. The contract is designed to cover the launch of the entire 72-satellite constellation, although Iridium also plans to sign a contract with at least one other launch provider to serve as a backup. The launches will take place from a Vandenberg pad previously used by the Titan 4; SpaceX estimates it will take $50 million and two years to refurbish the pad for Falcon 9 launches.
Communications satellite company Iridium announced Wednesday a nearly $500-million contract with SpaceX to launch its next generation of satellites. The $492-million contract covers an unspecified number of launches of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying Iridium NEXT satellites. Those launches are scheduled to take place from 2015 to 2017 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Each Falcon 9 will launch several Iridium satellites, although the exact number will depend on the final size of the next-generation spacecraft. The contract is designed to cover the launch of the entire 72-satellite constellation, although Iridium also plans to sign a contract with at least one other launch provider to serve as a backup. The launches will take place from a Vandenberg pad previously used by the Titan 4; SpaceX estimates it will take $50 million and two years to refurbish the pad for Falcon 9 launches.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force adds Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to NSSL contract
Posted: Sun, Mar 30 9:19 AM ET (1319 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, April 2
Europe’s Launcher Revival Faces Challenging Start
Aviation Week — 5:18 am ET (0918 GMT) Space Force picks Northrop for ‘Elixir’ satellite refueling demo
Defense News — 5:17 am ET (0917 GMT) Gwynne Shotwell Rides SpaceX To Billion-Dollar Fortune
Forbes.com — 5:15 am ET (0915 GMT) SpaceX Puts Humans in Orbit Over Earth’s Poles for the First Time
New York Times — 5:13 am ET (0913 GMT) FAA closes investigation of January SpaceX Starship explosion
KTBC-TV Austin, TX — 5:11 am ET (0911 GMT) |
