Iridium 33
A mockup of an Iridium satellite | |
| Mission type | Communication |
|---|---|
| Operator | Iridium Satellite LLC |
| COSPAR ID | 1997-051C |
| SATCAT no. | 24946 |
| Mission duration | 11 years |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | LM-700A |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Launch mass | 700 kg |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 14 September 1997, 01:36 UTC |
| Rocket | Proton-K / DM2 |
| Launch site | Baikonur, Site 81/23 |
| Contractor | Khrunichev via International Launch Services |
| End of mission | |
| Destroyed | 10 February 2009, 16:56 UTC Collision with Kosmos 2251 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 779.6 km |
| Apogee altitude | 799.9 km |
| Inclination | 86.4° |
| Period | 100.4 minutes |
| Epoch | 10 February 2009 |
Iridium 33 was a communications satellite launched by Russia for Iridium Communications. It was launched into low Earth orbit from Site 81/23 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 01:36 UTC on 14 September 1997, by a Proton-K rocket with a Block DM2 upper stage. The launch was arranged by International Launch Services (ILS). It was operated in Plane 3 of the Iridium satellite constellation, with an ascending node of 230.9°.