10 New Iridium NEXT Satellites in orbit
The satellites still very close to each other on this chart (marked in red). They will eventually spread out like the other Iridium satellites.
Chart for Bloemfontein tonight 20:30 (25 January 2017)
The latest Iridium satellites should be visible tonight. Use binoculars. About Magnitude 5 - 7.
Iridium Announces Successful First Launch of Iridium NEXT Satellites
MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM)
announced today the successful launch of its first ten Iridium NEXT
satellites. The satellites were delivered into low-Earth orbit
approximately one hour after the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:54:39 a.m. PST. Iridium
NEXT is the company’s next-generation satellite constellation, replacing
and enhancing its existing network of low-Earth orbit satellites
spanning the entire globe – the largest commercial satellite
constellation in space.
