CEO Desch Confident all 72 Iridium Next Satellites Will Reach Orbit by Late 2017

Iridium Confident all 72 Satellites Will Reach Orbit by Late 2017

Dnepr Launch

PARIS — The inaugural launch — aboard a Russian Dnepr — of mobile satellite service provider Iridium’s second-generation constellation may slip beyond October but the company is still on track to put 72 satellites into orbit by late 2017, Iridium Chief Executive Matt Desch said June 10.

Addressing an investor conference, Desch said McLean, Virginia-based Iridium Communications is now securing an insurance policy for the launches but will be able to limit the cost because it is already building spare satellites.



Desch also said Iridium gets a free relaunch from Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX if the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fails. Iridium has booked seven Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to occur between early 2016 and late 2017.

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PARIS — The inaugural launch — aboard a Russian Dnepr — of mobile satellite service provider Iridium’s second-generation constellation may slip beyond October but the company is still on track to put 72 satellites into orbit by late 2017, Iridium Chief Executive Matt Desch said June 10.
Addressing an investor conference, Desch said McLean, Virginia-based Iridium Communications is now securing an insurance policy for the launches but will be able to limit the cost because it is already building spare satellites.
Desch also said Iridium gets a free relaunch from Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX if the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fails. Iridium has booked seven Falcon 9 launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to occur between early 2016 and late 2017.
- See more at: http://spacenews.com/iridiums-future-riding-on-7-spacex-launches-and-1-dnepr/#sthash.hgNAYeHe.dpuf