China Great Wall Industry is to launch a further eight pairs of Motorola Iridium mobile communications satellites aboard Long March 2C/SD boosters. The move will allow Motorola to maintain a fleet of six in-orbit spares as replacements for operational craft in the 66-satellite operational system. The third launch of two Iridium satellites, from Taiyuan on 2 May, brought to 67 the total launched on various boosters since May 1997, of which four are not operating. One satellite failed after a Delta launch when material came off the interior of the payload shroud. Five more Iridiums are due for launch this month.
Source: Flight International
