Proton-K/17S40 — mission imagery
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Success

Iridium 27 to 33

Proton-K/17S40Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center81/23 (81L)
Sunday, September 14, 1997 · 01:36 AM UTC

This mission is complete.

Mission Brief

Iridium provides global mobile telecommunications services using a constellation of 66 low earth orbit satellites in a 86.4° inclined orbit. Although 77 satellites were originally envisioned for the system and spawned the name based on the 77th element in the periodic table, the system has been scaled back. Motorola's Satellite Communications Group designed and manufactured the Iridium satellites with Lockheed Martin providing the LM-700A spacecraft buses.

PayloadIridium 27 to 33
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
CustomerIridium Constellation
Stages4
Pad81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Mission Timeline

14 / 14100%

Ground vector

Launch site

Site locked

81/23 (81L)

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Global range
SITE LOCK
Latitude
46.074°N
Longitude
62.978°E

Range Weather

Launch commit criteria

Clear
Watch
TrackingNo active constraints
Weather Rules

Tracking no weather issues at this time.

Primary concern
No weather issues
Rule count
0
Temperature
Not reported
Surface wind
Not reported
Window

01:36 AM UTC - 01:36 AM UTC

Vehicle

Proton-K/17S40

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Height58.2 m
LEO Payload21,000 kg
Launches193
Successes178

Provider

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center

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RUS • Founded 1916

Schedule History

No meaningful launch-time or status changes recorded.