Tim Furniss
China Great Wall Industry (CGWIC) has successfully launched its sixth mission for Motorola's Iridium mobile satellite system, while it struggles with the effects of the US ban on exports of other satellites for delivery into orbit.
A Long March 2C was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre on 11 June carrying two of the Lockheed Martin/Motorola-built satellites into 860 inclination, 775-780km orbits.
CGWIC has a contract from Motorola to continue launches of pairs of satellites to replenish the operational 66-satellite constellation if satellites break down.
Up to five more launches of 10 satellites may be made to 2003, under the terms of the agreement with Motorola.
The Motorola project has been plagued by satellite failures, as well as financial and technical problems on the ground.
Eighty-eight satellites have been launched on Russian Proton, US Delta and Long March 2C boosters but 12 have failed. Motorola is also falling short of a target of 27,000 customers by the end of June and is heading towards defaulting on $800 million in outstanding loans.
If Iridium goes out of business it will be a blow for China since it has lost other launches of geostationary orbiting communications satellites, due to the US Government's export ban, which Iridium has so far avoided.
Source: Flight Daily News