Falcon 9 - Iridium Flight 2
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is set for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Sunday, June 25 on its second mission in support of the replacement of the aging Iridium constellation with upgraded Iridium-NEXT Satellites. Mobile Satellite Communications provider Iridium is undertaking the most expansive satellite constellation upgrade to date, replacing the entire 66-satellite constellation, ten at a time. The replacement effort will enhance Iridium's global communications infrastructure by boosting capacity and adding new services.
An attempt is planned to land the first stage booster on the drone ship 'Just Read The Instructions' in SpaceX's continued re-use aspirations.
Live Video by SpaceX
Launch Date: June 25, 2017 | Launch Updates |
Time: 20:25:14 UTC | Iridium-NEXT Overview |
Launch Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg | Falcon 9 FT |
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 FT | Countdown Timeline |
Payload: 10 Iridium-NEXT (860kg each) | Launch Profile |
Ascent Duration: 72 Minutes | SpaceX Archive |
Target Orbit: 625km Circular, 86.66° |