Proton-K/17S40 | Iridium 62 to 68
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.
The Proton-K was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
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Mission Profile
Iridium 62 to 68 was a Proton-K/17S40 mission operated by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center that lifted off from 81/23 (81L), Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan on April 7, 1998. The flight carried its payload on a communications mission to Low Earth Orbit. It was flown as part of the Iridium Constellation program. The launch was a success.