Launch index
Launch Successful

Long March 2C/SD | Iridium 88 & 89

December 19, 1998 at 11:39 AM UTC

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Long March 2C/SD | Iridium 88 & 89 launch image
Mission imagery · Long March 2C/SD

Launch details

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December 19, 1998 at 11:39 AM UTC

Status: Launch Successful · Live feed refreshes every 30 seconds

Launch Complex 7

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China · 38.8489, 111.6079

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Launch site
Launch Complex 7

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch probability
Not published
Window opens
December 19, 1998 at 11:39 AM UTC
Window closes
December 19, 1998 at 11:39 AM UTC
Feed updated
December 30, 2023 at 10:31 AM UTC

Mission description

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.

Vehicle

Long March 2C/SD

Long March 2 · C/SD

Height

42 m

Diameter

3.35 m

LEO capacity

3,850 kg

Successful launches

7

Launch complex

Launch Complex 7

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center is a People's Republic of China space and defense launch facility. It is situated in Kelan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province and is the second of four launch sites having been founded in March 1966 and coming into full operation in 1968.

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