VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Ca. — SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket that will carry 10 communications satellites into lower earth orbit Wednesday in California.
The launch at Vandenberg Air Force base occured at 7:39 a.m. ET, and carried the seventh set of Iridium Communications NEXT satellites into orbit.
Once deployed, there will be a total of 65 Iridium NEXT satellites in space.
Here's a statement from Iridium on the payload:
Iridium NEXT is the company's $3 billion, next-generation, mobile, global satellite network scheduled for completion in 2018. These new satellites are replacing the company's existing global constellation in one of the largest technology upgrades ever completed in space. It represents the evolution of critical communications infrastructure that governments and organizations worldwide rely upon to drive business, enable connectivity, empower disaster relief efforts and more. Iridium NEXT will enable and introduce new services like the Company's next-generation broadband service, Iridium CertusSM.
Watch the launch here on wftv.com
Falcon 9 and Iridium-7 went vertical earlier today on the SpaceX launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Weather is 90% favorable for tomorrow’s launch at 4:39 a.m. PDT, 11:39 UTC. https://t.co/gtC39uBC7z pic.twitter.com/zGw49C1UTP
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 24, 2018
Watch the launch below:
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