WASHINGTON, D.C.-Iridium L.L.C. has 75 percent of its planned satellite constellation deployed after it successfully launched two more satellites into orbit, bringing the total number of operational satellites to 51, said Iridium.
The two satellites were launched on a Chinese Long March 2C/SD rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China. This was Iridium’s 11th successful launch in the last 10 months, although several planned launches, including this one, were delayed because of unfavorable upper-level winds, said the company.
“It’s been 11 years in the making, and now we’re only six months away,” said Edward F. Staiano, Iridium’s vice chairman and chief executive officer, referring to the Sept. 23 target date for commercial activation of the Iridium system.
In related news, Iridium signed its first service provision agreement in the United Kingdom with Global System for Mobile communications operator Orange plc. Corresponding with the agreement, Iridium was assigned official “country status” with the International Telecommunications Union, meaning the company now has its own country code of +8816.
