Iridium-1 Launch 1-14-17

SpaceX is planning to launch the Iridium-1 in approximately an hour from Vandenberg AFB. The launch will be from the 4E complex at the base, and the rocket will be carrying 10 communications satellites. These are the first of 70 satellites being launched for the Iridium NEXT constellation.

Webcast

The Iridium NEXT constellation will cover 100% of the planet, using an cross-linked LEO constellation. It will enable higher bandwidth and faster speeds for customers that use the constellation.

Iridium NEXT

a reply to: Zaphod58

The first effort was technically poor and massively expensive. That was what ... 15-18 years ago??

Will be interesting to see what the 'ordinary consumer' has to say about this upgrade.

The webcast has begun. About 20 minutes to launch. It's an instantaneous window, which gives them a second to launch once it opens.

Perfect launch, they're preparing for the first stage to come back to land. The camera shots on this are incredible.

The more Iridium flares we get, the better (regardless of the actual success rate of the Iridium missions).

AMAZING!!!!!!!! Success!

wow, that`s amazing how they can land on that little platform bobbing up and down in the ocean

Satellite deployment was scheduled for about an hour after launch.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I gotta say, that 1st stage landing was pretty badass. Thanks for the links!

oh nice more iridium sattelites to drive ufologists insane
just perfect

a reply to: humanoidlord

But it's so much fun to amaze your friends and family.

A magical hand wave and a light appears in the sky!

Fantastic. And to think there are people (even on this site) that deny the veracity of science...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks for bringing this to us! Busy day at work, disappointed I missed it live, but will be checking out recorded footage.

a reply to: dogstar23
Spoiler alert:
Aliens blew it up.

Freaking COOL! great footage.
Space X have got there $h!t together. Them sats must be small?

a reply to: stealthyaroura

Compact.
About 1,500 pounds.

a reply to: Phage
Cheers phage, a source i can trust

a reply to: dogstar23

The camera angles they have on the rocket are amazing. They're crystal clear to.

Yay, more Iridium flares?

originally posted by: Snarl
a reply to: Zaphod58

The first effort was technically poor and massively expensive. That was what ... 15-18 years ago??

Will be interesting to see what the 'ordinary consumer' has to say about this upgrade.

Yes.

It was in the mid '90's. I worked for Sprint at the time and we had a massive investment in both dollars and strategic positioning with the launches of all the Iridium sats.

Although there were a few failures, the overall program was a success. At the time I was in a quasi technical and business development role so I had a sh#t ton of knowledge, but it was a mile wide and 1/2 inch deep.

I am both surprised & curious to see this program (or at least the name) being resurrected.

I'll do a little digging early next week so I can get up to speed on the current project.