The Iridium Communications Inc. has again bough another SpaceX Falcon 9 to place five of its Iridium NEXT satellites into orbit in the outer space. Furthermore, the satellite operator is reportedly sharing the ride with NASA which is also sending two more satellites in the space. Reports have it that the launch is slated for an early 2018 set off from the Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
The Iridium Communication announced on Jan. 31 about its planned rocket launch with another SpaceX Falcon 9 to send additional satellites into the space. NASA will also send satellites - two GRACE-FO spacecraft-- on the same ride which CEO Matt Desch of Iridium thinks is a financially-smart move. The said launch will be Iridium Inc.'s eighth rocket contract with SpaceX, and will be the company's first rideshare to space. This next set of Iridium satellites are said to support mobile communication on land, sea ships and aircrafts.
The NASA GRACE-FO which were reportedly built alongside GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences will create maps of Earth's gravity field, according to Space News. As per report, the satellite was created to help scientists track gravity changes in large-scale water movement. The GRACE-FO is similar to the initially launched GRACE satellite, but has been upgraded with a laser tracking system, basically to improve the precision on gravity measurements.
NASA's GRACE-FO was originally slated to launch using a Dnepr rocket before it signed for a SpaceX Falcon 9 ride. Dnepr though has delayed the launch for almost two years now as it was originally scheduled to fly out in March 2015. Reports say that difficulties in winning the Russian government approval for the launch of the Ukrainian-built rocket caused the delay.
Meanwhile, SpaceX is targeting another launch this February. According to the LA Times, the company is said to deliver supplies from NASA to the International Space Station which will launch from the historic Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. The said SpaceX Falcon 9 flight will be the first flight for the company from the said pad previously used for the Apollo missions and space shuttle programs.
