Communications
IRIDIUM 118
Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT) · Iridium Communications
Right now
LiveIt moves every second. See exactly where it is — worked out from its orbit, on your own device — on the live 3D globe.
- Over
- —
- Altitude
- —
- Speed
- —
One of the Iridium NEXT satellites, part of a constellation that replaced its 1990s predecessor through eight dedicated SpaceX Falcon 9 launches between 2017 and 2019. Iridium's continuous polar and oceanic coverage makes it the standard choice for military communications, maritime distress systems, and polar scientific expeditions that other satellite networks simply cannot serve.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 485–487 mi (780–783 km)
- Inclination
- 86.4°
- One orbit
- 100.3 minutes14.4 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 42807
- Int’l designator
- 2017-039E
- Launched
- 2017
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
More communications
- IRIDIUM 119Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT)
- IRIDIUM 120Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT)
- IRIDIUM 121Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT)
- IRIDIUM 122Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT)
- IRIDIUM 123Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT)
- IRIDIUM 124Global Mobile Satellite Network (Iridium NEXT)