Proton-K/17S40 — mission imagery
Back to launches
Success

Iridium 09 to 14 & Iridium 16

Proton-K/17S40Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center81/23 (81L)
Wednesday, June 18, 1997 · 02:02 PM UTCAdd to Calendar

This mission is complete.

Vehicle

Proton-K/17S40

Profile →

Proton-M Blok DM-03 is a four stage Russian heavy lift launch vehicle derived from the Soviet Proton launch vehicle. It is a Proton-M with an added DM-03 Fourth stage.

Height58.2 m
LEO Payload21,000 kg
Launches198
Successes183

Provider

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center

Profile →

RUS • Founded 1916

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center is a Moscow-based producer of spacecraft and space-launch systems, including the Proton and Rokot rockets and is currently developing the Angara rocket fami...

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 09 to 14 & Iridium 16
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
CustomerIridium Constellation
Stages4
Pad81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Mission Timeline

14 / 14100%
Site lock

Launch Site

81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

LAUNCH SITE
46.074°N, 62.978°E

Schedule History

No delays or schedule changes recorded.