Iridium NEXT.

[Salo]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/11/08/elon-musks-rocket-blew-up-in-september-heres-why-one-of-his-main-customers-isnt-worried/?postshare=5731478615253143&tid=ss_tw

Elon Musk's rocket blew up in September. Here's why one of his main customers isn't worried.
By Christian Davenport November 8 at 7:00 AM

Few have more riding on SpaceX's next launch than Iridium Satellite Communications.

The McLean-based company has spent $3 billion to build a fleet of new, state-of-the-art satellites that would replace an aging constellation that's been in orbit for years. The company has hired SpaceX for seven missions over the next year to launch dozens into orbit.

The only problem: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has blown up twice. The company is currently grounded again for the second time in two years. And even though SpaceX's Elon Musk has said the company should fly by mid-December, the investigation into the explosion on Sept. 1 isn't yet complete and the Federal Aviation Administration hasn't yet given it the green light to fly.

But Matt Desch, Iridium's chief executive, said he is not worried. In an interview, he said he was heartened the investigation to date and by recent comments by Musk, who said that the company has discovered the cause of the explosion on Sept. 1.

"We've been privy to the thinking and the analysis and the data involved at a very deep level," Desch said. "So, yes, we know why he is saying what's he's saying and concur that they have found the issue. We're encouraged, too, that it was procedural...We are back on the path for a first launch and, yes, I feel very confident that the issue that was found won't be repeated for our launch."

Still, he said on launch day, "I might be in a corner rocking back and forth." Not out of fear for the rocket, but more because it's always nerve racking "when you see 10 of your precious babies going into orbit."

On Sept. 1 a Falcon 9 rocket blew up on a Cape Canaveral launch pad while it was being fueled ahead of an engine test fire. Musk said on CNBC Friday that the cause of the explosion was "a really surprising problem that's never been encountered before."

SpaceX has been super cooling its liquid oxygen fuel, a process that makes it more dense, allowing the rocket to then carry more fuel. But apparently the propellant got so cold it turned solid, Musk said, without elaborating on how exactly that could lead to an explosion.

"This was the toughest puzzle that we've ever had to solve," he said.

With an aging constellation of 66 satellites now in orbit, Iridium is eager to replace them with the new fleet. The company's satellites provide an array of services, from communications and tracking for service members in war zones, to delivering Internet and mobile phone service to remote areas around the world and at sea.

The new constellation will allow the company to offer airline tracking from space. It will also help the company with its fastest-growing market—the so-called Internet of Things—connecting machine to machine, so they can communicate on their own.

[Salo]

http://spacenews.com/u-s-defense-agency-encourages-allied-nations-to-join-unlimited-use-iridium-program/

U.S. defense agency encourages allied nations to join unlimited-use Iridium program
by Peter B. de Selding — November 11, 2016

The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency is encouraging allied nations to join its program using Iridium mobile communications satellite network on a fixed-cost, unlimited-use basis. Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand have already joined. Credit: U.S. Defense Department via Iridium  
 
LONDON — The agency providing U.S. government access to Iridium's global constellation of mobile communications satellites on Nov. 9  urged other nations to join the program to take advantage of its fixed-price, unlimited-access feature.
Clare Grason, who manages the Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) program at the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency, said allied nations are welcome to join the other "Five Eyes" nations — Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand — which have already joined the program as EMSS Fair Share members in addition to the United States.
"They have the same privileges as the U.S. Department of Defense," Grason said at the Global Milsatcom conference here, organized by SMi Group.
"By that I mean they have unlimited access to the Iridium constellation through our gateway. Like Department of Defense agencies, they pay us a fixed rate. In return, they can add as many devices as they want to the network, provisioned by us."
DISA, which is Iridium Communications' biggest customer, is midway through a five-year, $400 million contract providing unlimited access to Iridium for U.S. government agencies that in turn pay DISA for the service.
Under the contract, all U.S. government communications are routed through the government-operated Iridium gateway in Hawaii. None of the traffic is routed through Iridium's commercial gateway in Arizona or to the recently inaugurated gateway in Russia.
The Iridium constellation uses radio links to permit communications to be routed fr om satellite to satellite before landing at their destination without the need to touch down anywhere else.
The U.S. government, for security reasons, insisted on its own gateway. "Iridium has no insight into our usage trends, who are users are or wh ere they are located," she said.
Grason said 85,000 Iridium subscriber units have been activated under the contract, most for military users but about 15 percent for non-military U.S. government agencies.
The contract includes foreign nations' access to Iridium insofar as these users are approved by DISA after clearing U.S. Foreign Military Sales approval.
"We charge our customers the same way Iridium charges us, on a fixed-prices basis," Grason said. "Rates do not change no matter what the volume, so obviously maximum participation is encouraged."
Government hardware not identical to commercial hardware
DISA has created firewalls that mean a government purchasing a commercial Iridium phone cannot simply apply the hardware to the DISA contract. For example, Iridium's commercial push-to-talk feature, also called netted Iridium, is not usable on the DISA network.
Instead, government agencies seeking this feature must purchase equipment that can access the military version, called the Distributed Tactical Communications System.
The current range of this secure push-to-talk feature is about 160 kilometers, and up to 400 kilometers in certain cases. Grason said an upgrade is under way that will give this feature a global reach.
DISA customers must purchase secure Iridium handsets, which starting in mid-2017 will come with a new version of the Iridium Security Module and retail at about $4,000.
Equipment can be purchased directly through DISA or through a number of commercial Iridium value-added resellers.
DISA confident of signing new Iridium contract in 2018
Iridium's current constellation is well beyond its planned retirement date. Launch of the second-generation constellation, called Iridium Next, has been delayed as launch provider SpaceX of Hawthorne, California, investigates the causes of an explosion of its Falcon 9 rocket in September while refueling in preparation for a test firing.
SpaceX and Iridium have said SpaceX could return to flight in December assuming the investigation wraps up by then with a clear explanation of the September failure.
Iridium has planned seven launches, each with 10 satellites, with SpaceX. Once the first batch is in orbit, the company will spending three months performing in-orbit checkout to validate system performance before proceeding with the second 10-satellite launch.
Subsequent launches could occur at 60-day intervals.
The DISA contract expires in October 2018. Grason said negotiations on a new contract, which she said DISA assumes will be signed and will stretch over five years or more, will begin in 2017.
DISA would not need to await until the second-generation constellation is in service to sign an successor contract, Grason said, as the agreement is for access to the constellation, not to a specific set of satellites.
The new contract is likely to include access to the higher-speed data rates available on the second generation of Iridium satellites, she said.

[Floppy Disk]

[Salo]

https://www.orbitalatk.com/space-systems/commercial-satellites/communications-satellites/docs/FS002_11_OA_3862%20IridiumNEXT.pdf

[petr-2000]

Iridium стал российским

Спойлер

Iridium стал российским
 Леонид Коник
 © ComNews
 17.11.2016

[свернуть]

Компания Iridium Communications Inc. - оператор сети мобильной спутниковой связи - вчера запустила российскую станцию сопряжения наземного и космического сегментов в Ижевске. Теперь компания полностью выполнила все требования законодательства РФ, что позволит ей начать работу и с государственными заказчиками.

Спойлер

До сих пор вся коммерческая часть сети Iridium работала через единственную станцию сопряжения - в городе Темпе (штат Аризона). Кроме того, на Гавайских островах у Iridium действует выделенная станция сопряжения, которая принадлежит Министерству обороны США (DoD) и обслуживает его нужды. (На DoD, согласно последнему квартальному отчету Iridium Communications, приходится 19,5% выручки и 9,8% всех активных абонентских устройств компании).
Виктор Глушко, генеральный директор ООО "Иридиум Коммьюникешенс" - российской "дочки" Iridium, отметил, что отныне через станцию сопряжения в Ижевске идет весь трафик, который инициируется с территории России - как местными абонентами Iridium, так и роумерами, а также весь входящий трафик на них. Генеральный директор Iridium Communications Inc. Мэтт Дэш добавил, что одновременно прекращает действовать временная схема закольцовывания российского трафика, которую компания согласовала весной 2012 г., после возврата на российский рынок. По этой схеме, согласованной с российскими спецслужбами, весь трафик из России, который приходил на станцию сопряжения в Темпе, возвращался в Москву по наземным каналам для процедуры СОРМ. Для этих целей Iridium Communications арендовала резервированный выделенный канал Т1 (с пропускной способностью 1,5 Мбит/с). Как сообщил корреспонденту ComNews вице-президент и глава региона "ЕМЕА и Россия" Iridium Дэн Мерсер, этот канал будет сохранен для связности с ижевской станцией сопряжения.
Виктор Глушко напомнил, что в качестве места размещения российской станции сопряжения рассматривались Москва и Геленджик (см. новость ComNews от 9 июня 2012 г.). В Москве на территории ГКНПЦ им. М.В. Хруничева располагалась старая станция сопряжения, которой пользовалось ОАО "Иридиум Евразия" - сервис-провайдер обанкротившейся в 2000 г. компании Iridium LLC, предшественника Iridium Communications. Однако та станция морально устарела, к тому же в Москве из-за частотной координации со спутниками на геостационарной орбите возникали ограничения по работе в Ка-диапазоне, в котором станция сопряжения Iridium коммуницирует с космическим сегментом. В Геленджике оказались проблемы с выделением электрической мощности и наличием волоконно-оптических каналов. В промышленном Ижевске не оказалось проблем ни с энергетикой (построенный объект потребляет 70 кВт), ни с оптикой, к тому же в этом городе компания без труда нашла много грамотных технических специалистов, поэтому выбор Iridium и пал на столицу Удмуртии.
Станция сопряжения разместилась в здании бизнес-центра "Метеор", которое ранее принадлежало Ижевскому электромеханическому заводу. Она включает в себя три следящих антенны, которые установили специалисты американской фирмы Boeing, являющейся производителем спутников Iridium и управляющей всей орбитальной группировкой как аутсорсер. Здесь же установлен коммутатор AXE-10 производства Ericsson (с программным обеспечением, кастомизированным под задачи спутниковой связи), система СОРМ (разработчик - московское ООО "Малвин Системс"    и другое оборудование. Технический директор ООО "Иридиум Коммьюникешенс" Виктор Кухтевич сообщил, что монтированная емкость коммутатора составляет 2,5 млн номеров, но пока открыто 100 тыс. номеров в домашнем регистре (HLR) и 600 тыс. номеров в гостевом регистре (VLR, предназначен для обслуживания роумеров) - такие цифры внесены и в лицензию российского сервис-провайдера Iridium.
Как рассказал Мэтт Деш, инвестиции в создание ижевской станции сопряжения составляют "десятки миллионов долларов", причем все затраты покрыла Iridium Communications. Российские совладельцы ООО "Иридиум Коммьюникешенс" - ООО "Гейзер-Телеком" (25% долей) и ФГУП "Морсвязьспутник" (16%) обеспечили создание российского бизнеса, включая решение всех регуляторных вопросов. "Мы вложили большие деньги в создание станции сопряжения в Ижевске, но мы не рассматриваем этот проект с позиций быстрого возврата инвестиций, - подчеркнул Мэтт Деш. - Это было стратегическое, а не чисто экономическое решение". Стратегия заключается в полной легализации и закреплении Iridium на российском рынке на многие годы, при этом компания считает его перспективным и для голосовой спутниковой связи, и для решений в области безопасности в воздухе и на воде, и для продуктов М2М.
Особые надежды компания связывает с орбитальной группировкой нового поколения Iridium NEXT стоимостью $3 млрд, в которой скорость передачи данных повысится в десятки раз (до 1,4 Мбит/с - с сегодняшних 128 кбит/с). Мэтт Деш заявил, что запуск первой десятки спутников Iridium NEXT ракетой Falcon (компании SpaceX) ожидается уже в декабре этого года, а в последующие 15 месяцев на орбиту стартуют еще 56 космических аппаратов (66 спутников Iridium NEXT заменят 66 аппаратов предыдущего поколения). При этом станция сопряжения в Ижевске уже полностью готова для работы со спутниками Iridium NEXT, и с большой долей вероятности именно с ее помощью будут протестированы первые аппараты нового поколения на орбите.
 
 

Досье ComNews

По данным финансового отчета за III квартал 2016 г., Iridium Communications Inc. обслуживает 838 тыс. абонентов (около половины приходится на устройства М2М), а его квартальная выручка составила $112,8 млн (из которых $87,3 млн обеспечили услуги, а остальное - продажи оборудования и техподдержка). По итогам всего 2016 г. компания планирует получить OEBITDA в диапазоне $250-255 млн. В 2019 г. - первом полном году функционирования новой группировки Iridium NEXT - компания ожидает доход от оказания услуг на уровне $440-465 млн, а показатель OEBITDA margin в 2019 г. должен составить 60%.
 ООО "Иридиум Коммьюникешенс" создано в Москве в декабре 2008 г. Доля Iridium Communications Inc. в его уставном капитале составляет 59%. Компания, по собственным данным, обслуживает "десятки тысяч абонентов" (включая М2М-устройства). Выручка в 2015 г. - 405,6 млн руб.
 

источник: http://www.comnews.ru/content/104744/2016-11-17/iridium-stal-rossiyskim#ixzz4QR3OdpXv

[свернуть]

"При этом станция сопряжения в Ижевске уже полностью готова для работы со спутниками Iridium NEXT, и с большой долей вероятности именно с ее помощью будут протестированы первые аппараты нового поколения на орбите."

[triage]

и с большой долей вероятности именно с ее помощью будут протестированы первые аппараты нового поколения на орбите.

Конечно конечно через нее.... А не в первую очередь модернизировать станцию (а их на территории США две) и оттестировать работу на своей территории. А то какие-то законы одной страны вынуждают весь трафик абонентов находящихся на ее территории и/или ее подданных гнать через ее СОРМ.

Занятная причина перерегистрация "для выполнения требований регулятора в области связи РФ" в том числе для абонентов находящихся за пределами РФ (абонент имеет Российскую симку)

Она включает в себя три следящих антенны, которые установили специалисты американской фирмы Boeing, являющейся производителем спутников Iridium и управляющей всей орбитальной группировкой как аутсорсер
источник: http://www.comnews.ru/content/104744/2016-11-17/iridium-stal-rossiyskim#ixzz4QRGbnmCQ

Спутники нового поколоения делала не Boeing

[Salo]

Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  1 ч.1 час назад  
Opened our new Russian gateway this week. It was epic! So much opportunity - beautiful facility, great team and partners. За здоровье!
 
 
 
 
 
  Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  15 нояб.  
Matt Desch Ретвитнул(а) Michael Panarin
Spasibo!

 
 Michael Panarin  @panarinmv  
@IridiumBoss @MuddogsFC @IridiumComm @IridiumRussia20 welcome to Russia

  Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  14 нояб.  
Matt Desch Ретвитнул(а) Dan Mercer
Just arrived Moscow; Izhevsk tomorrow. Excited to see partners and customers. Proud we completed this commitment - good opportunities!
Matt Desch добавил(а),

 
   
 Dan Mercer  @MuddogsFC  
This week we open the Iridium Russia Gateway in Izhevsk @IridiumComm @IridiumRussia20 #global #iridium #Russia

[Salo]

MrxFivexAlive(Kreep) ‏@zoolo19er  21 нояб.  
@IridiumBoss Amazing, since this is rapped up I'm assuming this is a new stage, or is this CRS-8?
 
  Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  21 нояб.  
@zoolo19er Brand new. We're only using new rockets for our 7 planned launches.

[Salo]

Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  
Matt Desch Ретвитнул(а) Just A. Tinker
I believe its at sea, though personally more focused on my satellites getting safely to orbit! All our seven F9s are new.
Matt Desch добавил(а),

 
 Just A. Tinker  @John_Gardi  
@IridiumBoss Any word yet on whether the booster landing will be on sea or land? Will you consider 'pre-flown' boosters for later flights?

14:36 - 16 дек. 2016 г.  

Brandon T. ‏@BrandongTurner  2 ч2 часа назад  
@IridiumBoss What do you think about the whole re-usability race with you being involved directly, waste of time? Or future of spaceflight?
 
  Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  2 ч2 часа назад  
@BrandongTurner It's the future. We're just a little ahead of it now, so are using all new rockets. Anything to lower cost to space = good

[Salo]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes 15 дек.
GRACE-FO/SpaceX(3): GRACE-FO to ride on Falcon 9 w/ 5 IRDM sats. Launch set for Dec 2017-Feb 2018 -- optimistic given SpaceX sched/manifest.

  Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  15 дек.  
GRACE-FO SpaceX(4): IRDM has 7 10-sat Falcon 9 launches scheduled ideally in Jan, April, June, Aug, Oct, Dec, Feb. GRACE-FO after that.
 
  Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  15 дек.  
GRACE-FO/SpaceX(2): IRDM sold GRACE-FO share of Falcon 9 IRDM had booked after Russia/Ukraine Dnepr rocket disappeared from market.
 
  Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  15 дек.  
GRACE-FO/SpaceX(1): German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) & NASA contract w/ IRDM for Falcon 9 launch of 2 gravity field science sats

[Salo]

Matt Desch ‏@IridiumBoss  28 дек.  
Matt Desch Ретвитнул(а) Nir
Sadly, yes. But you have at least two more years to enjoy them - maybe a bit longer.
Matt Desch добавил(а),

 
 Nir  @Cakeofdestiny  
@IridiumComm @IridiumBoss Are we really saying goodbye to Iridium flares with NEXT?

[vogel]

SpaceX ‏@SpaceX  2h2 hours ago

Targeting return to flight from Vandenberg with the @IridiumComm NEXT launch on January 8. Update: https://t.co/15yMaiobpX

[Salo]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  20 мин.20 минут назад  
CEO Desch @IridiumComm: TBD but we may be able to cut @SpaceX launch interval to < 60 days as from our 3d launch. https://www.spaceintelreport.com/iridium-next-launch ...
 

[Apollo13]

Jeff Foust ‏@jeff_foust  4m4 minutes ago

As expected, Iridium has ordered an eighth Falcon 9 launch from SpaceX; will share it with German/NASA GRACE-FO: http://bit.ly/2jqkkxg 

[Salo]

http://investor.iridium.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1009711

Jan 31, 2017

 Iridium Adds Eighth Launch with SpaceX for Satellite Rideshare with NASA/GFZ Iridium strikes deal with GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences to launch five additional spare Iridium NEXT satellites as well as NASA/GFZ's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on (GRACE-FO) Mission

MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) announced today that it has contracted with SpaceX for an eighth Falcon 9 launch. Along for the ride are the twin-satellites of the NASA/GFZ Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission, which will be deployed into a separate low-Earth orbit, marking the first rideshare deal for Iridium. An agreement of this kind is economical for all parties, and affords Iridium the ability to launch five additional satellites for its next-generation global satellite network.   The rideshare is anticipated to launch out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California by early 2018.

"This is a very smart way to get additional Iridium NEXT satellites into orbit," said Matt Desch, chief executive officer at Iridium. "This launch provides added resiliency to our network for not much more than we had planned originally to launch 72 satellites, including two with Kosmotras."  Desch continued, "We are pleased to be sharing a rocket with NASA and GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences for this additional SpaceX launch, and GFZ has been a great business partner throughout this process." 

Not only is this launch a rare opportunity to ride with NASA, but it also represents a particularly compelling economical solution. The Company had always expected to launch additional satellites after the Iridium NEXT construction was completed to utilize the nine ground spares built into the program. This rideshare represents a material savings from other supplemental launch options due to the efficiency of sharing the rocket with GRACE-FO, and the incremental cost during the Iridium NEXT construction period is immaterial when considering the avoidance of unspent amounts contemplated under the Kosmotras program. It also affords Iridium the opportunity to rearrange its launch and satellite drifting plan and launch these five satellites directly into their operational orbital plane while increasing the number of planned in-orbit spares by three satellites.  Further, this development allows Iridium to complete the whole operational constellation at a faster rate than it would have with seven launches. Iridium will still consider launching satellites with Kosmotras once approvals are available.

Iridium NEXT is the company's next-generation global satellite constellation.  Replacing Iridium's existing network of low-Earth orbit satellites, Iridium NEXT is poised to re-energize the mobile satellite industry with faster speeds and higher throughputs for all industry verticals.  The launch of the Iridium NEXT constellation represents an unprecedented feat for satellite communications, and has been coined the largest "tech refresh" of its kind.

The Company has contracted with SpaceX for seven dedicated Iridium NEXT launches, deploying 70 Iridium NEXT satellites into low-Earth orbit, across a 13-month period out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. This eighth launch will increase the constellation's count to 75 total in-orbit satellites, nine of which will serve as on-orbit spares. The first set of Iridium NEXT satellites was successfully launched on January 14th and is currently under test in orbit.  For more information about Iridium NEXT, please visit www.iridiumnext.com.

GRACE-FO is a successor to the joint NASA/DLR/GFZ GRACE mission, which launched in 2002 and is still in operation. The twin GRACE-FO satellites, which operate in tandem, will continue GRACE's legacy of tracking changes in the distribution of Earth's mass over time by creating monthly maps of Earth's gravity field. The movements of masses of water, ice, air, and the solid Earth are driven by processes such as precipitation, droughts, floods, the melting of snow and ice, ground water usage and storage, and even tectonic events such as large earthquakes. GRACE is improving our understanding and knowledge of a variety of important Earth system processes:  the terrestrial water cycle and changes in ice sheets, glaciers and sea level, surface and deep-ocean currents; and variations in Earth's lithosphere and mantle density. These measurements provide a unique view of the Earth system and have far-reaching benefits to society and the world's population. The mission is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

About Iridium Communications Inc.

Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Sel ect Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has based these statements on its current expectations and the information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements in this presentation include statements regarding the timing for deployment, development and capabilities of the Iridium NEXT constellation and services to be offered over the constellation, including the timing of the rideshare launch. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words "anticipates," "may," "can," "believes," "expects," "projects," "intends," "likely," "will," "to be" and other expressions that are predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding potential delays in the Iridium NEXT deployment, the development and functionality of Iridium NEXT and related services, and the company's ability to maintain the health, capacity and content of its satellite constellation, as well as general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC" )  on February 25, 2016, as well as other filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. There is no assurance that Iridium's expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially fr om those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

[itwik]

ключевая фраза - как только одобрят.

[Salo]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes
 @Thales_Alenia_S & @OrbitalATK have 22 @IridiumComm sats in storage; on track for April launch of 10 if @SpaceX OK.
https://t.co/h2PXK0qvYS

[Salo]

https://www.spaceintelreport.com/thales-22-iridium-next-satellites-are-ready-for-spacex-and-22-more-will-be-soon

Thales: 22 Iridium Next satellites are ready for SpaceX and 22 more will be soon
February 5, 2017

Bertrand Maureau, head of the telecommunications division of satellite builder Thales Alenia Space, said in-orbit tests of the first 10 Iridium Next satellites, launched Jan. 14 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, have gone smoothly and are expected to be completed in April.
As a result, Thales Alenia Space and its subcontractor, Orbital ATK, have completed construction and ground testing of 22 more Iridium satellites, with an additional 22 nearing final integration. A second SpaceX launch of 10 Iridium Next satellites is scheduled for April.

CANNES, France — Iridium Next satellite prime contractor Thales Alenia Space on Feb. 3 said the successful early in-orbit tests of the first 10 Iridium Next satellites, launched Jan. 14, make it all but certain that deliveries of the 60 other satellites will occur as scheduled.
Thales Alenia Space is nonetheless sticking with its conservative estimates of when the coming launches will occur, especially since the schedule depends not only on Thales Alenia Space and its contracting team, including Orbital ATK, but also the readiness of launch provider SpaceX.
"The schedule depends on three things," said Bertrand Maureau, Thales's executive vice president for telecommunications at Thales Alenia Space. 
"First is the in-orbit validation of the first 10 satellites. That has been going very well and gives us all confidence. The second is the availability of other satellites, and we already have several in storage, ready for launch. The third is the availability of the launch vehicle," Maureau said here during a briefing largely devoted to civil-military SGDC satellite for the Brazilian government, scheduled for launch aboard a European Ariane 5 rocket on March 21, along with the Thales-built Koreasat-7 for the South Korean government.
It is common in the space industry for satellite builders and launch-service providers to downplay schedule issues hoping that the other supplier will be first to tell the customer of a problem.
22 satellites in storage, 10 more about there, and 12 in integration
But in the case of Iridium Next, the so-far, so-good testing of the first satellites' payload and platform in the three weeks since launch have allowed Thales to proceed with final integration of the follow-on satellites.
Maureau said 22 further Iridium Next satellites were ready for launch as of Feb. 3, with another 10 in final integration. Another 12 satellites were having their platforms and payloads integrated, meaning 44 of the 60 satellites to be launched on six SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets are just about completed.
Iridium and Thales Alenia Space in 2010 signed a $2.3 billion contract under which Thales would deliver 81 second-generation Iridium satellites. Seventy of these are to be launched on seven SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicles.
Iridium recently booked an eighth Falcon 9 launch, set for 2018, of five Iridium Next satellites and two scientific satellites for the U.S. and German space agencies.
Next Iridium SpaceX launches anticipated in April, July
Maureau said the current launch schedule, which is subject to change as SpaceX returns to full operations following a September failure during a prelaunch test, calls for a second SpaceX launch in April. He stressed that Iridium had not yet received formal notification from SpaceX of the launch date and that the schedule was in flux.
The third Iridium Next launch, he said, appears to be slated for sometime in July, closely following the launch to geostationary-transfer orbit of the Koreasat-5A satellite, built by Thales, aboard a Falcon 9.
Iridium Chief Executive Matt Desch said his company would be pressing Thales for a stepped-up rhythm of launches — assuming SpaceX readiness — so that a launch every two months, and even slightly more often, would be feasible starting with the third or fourth campaign.
Desch said this was not a source of friction with Thales and that he understood the manufacturer wanted a complete validation of the performance of the first 10 satellites before accepting an accelerated cadence.
"The idea was a launch every three months," Maureau said. "As of now we are in advance of our timeline and we should be able to get to every two and one-half months, or even every two months."

[Salo]

Peter B. de Selding ‏@pbdes  5 мин.5 минут назад
Iridium drops other shoe: 2d 10-sat batch wont launch till June (was April) because of SpaceX logjam. Effect on overall IRDM sched TBD.
 

[Salo]

Iridium Corporate ‏@IridiumComm  1 ч1 час назад  
The second launch of 10 #IridiumNEXT satellites is now targeted for mid-June, also on @SpaceX #Falcon9 http://bit.ly/2lOCjL4