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IP: Iridium
From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 21:49:28 -0400
From technomads/wear-hard
90 Percent of the Iridium Constellation Deployed; 63 Satellites Now In Orbit (Nasdaq: IRIDF) WASHINGTON, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A Proton rocket successfully carried seven Iridium satellites into orbit early yesterday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, marking Iridium LLC's thirteenth successful launch in eleven months. Two more launches are needed to fully deploy the Iridium constellation. Both launches, a Delta II and a Long March 2C/SD rocket, are set for late April. The seven satellites are part of Iridium LLC's 66-satellite wireless personal telecommunications network designed to offer full global coverage and a variety of communications services, including voice, data, fax and paging to handheld subscriber equipment. These seven satellites join the 56 that are already in orbit. "The success of today's Proton launch means that in slightly more than a week's time, 14 Iridium satellites have been sent into orbit on three rocket launches -- one from Russia, one from China and one from the United States," said Iridium LLC Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Edward F. Staiano. "This truly international effort is paving the way for Iridium to become the first global wireless telephone company when we begin commercial activation on September 23." "We have 90 percent of the Iridium constellation in place and are just weeks away from complete deployment," said Motorola Chief Executive Officer Christopher Galvin. "We congratulate Krunichev Space Center for the important role they have played in lifting 21 Iridium satellites into orbit on three Proton launches during this intense launch campaign." The Proton rocket lifted off the launch pad at 8:13:03 a.m. Baikonur time. Satellite separation occurred approximately 88 minutes after liftoff. The seven satellites will be maneuvered into their respective positions to become part of the operational constellation. Iridium LLC is developing a global wireless communications network that will combine the worldwide reach of 66 low-earth-orbit satellites with land-based wireless systems to enable subscribers to communicate using handheld telephones and pagers virtually anywhere in the world. Iridium World Communications, Ltd. (Nasdaq: IRIDF) is the public investment vehicle of Iridium LLC. Iridium is a registered trademark and service mark of Iridium LLC.
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