Status for Iridium payloads
Iridium status as of Aug. 27, 2011
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Iridiums not listed in the following table are thought to be stable
in orbit and capable of generating flares.
Nov. 29, 2000: Iridium 79 (NCat 25470) decayed.
Dec. 30, 2000: Iridium 85 (NCat 25529) decayed.
May 5, 2001: Iridium 48 (NCat 25107) decayed.
Jan. 31, 2002: Iridium 27 (NCat 24947) decayed.
Mar. 11, 2003: Iridium 9 (NCat 24838) decayed.
Jan. 29, 2004: Spacecom exchanged the names for objects 25577
(now Iridium 20) and 25578 (now Iridium 11).
Aug. 2003: Iridium 38 failed.
June 2004: Iridiums 2, 38, 69 and 73 were changed to "failed".
Apr. 24, 2005: Iridium 16 has been replaced by Iridium 86.
June 14, 2005: Iridium 16 has been seen tumbling - changed to "tum".
June 2005: Iridium 98 has changed its inclination so that it will
drift between planes.
Aug. 2005: Iridium 77 has been maneuvered into the orbital spot
for Iridium 17. Presumably, Iridium 17 has failed.
Oct. 2005: Iridium 90 has changed its inclination so that it will
drift between planes.
Jan. 2006: Spacecom has switched the names for Iridium 91 and Iridium 90
Jan. 10, 2006: Iridium 74 has been moved into a lower orbit and Iridium 21
was moved to take its place.
Jan. 10, 2007: From January 5 to January 9, 2007, Iridium 97 was moved from
its lower orbit to an orbit "next to" Iridium 36.
Mar. 6, 2007: Iridium 36 has not had an orbit maintenance maneuver since
January and was observed to flash, so I assume it has failed.
May 4, 2007: Iridium 98 has changed its inclination so that it is now
a spare in its new plane.
Jan. 22, 2008: Iridium 90 has changed its inclination so that it is now
a spare in its new plane.
Jul. 19, 2008: Unusual changes in mean motion by Iridium 28
Jul. 26, 2008: Iridium 95 moved to replace Iridium 28
Dec. 22, 2008: It is clear that Iridium 28 was no longer being controlled
as of about Sep. 20, 2008 - probably since July 2008
Feb. 10, 2009: Collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251
Mar. 2, 2009: Iridium 91 was placed into service to replace Iridium 33
Nov. 3, 2010: Iridium 11 was placed into service next to Iridium 23
Aug. 8, 2011: Iridium 26 apparently failed. Replaced by Iridium 11.
NCat Name Status Comment
24836 Iridium 914 tum Failed; was called Iridium 14
24841 Iridium 16 tum Removed from operation about April 7, 2005
24842 Iridium 911 tum Failed; was called Iridium 11
24870 Iridium 17 tum? Failed in August 2005?
24871 Iridium 920 tum Failed; was called Iridium 20
24873 Iridium 921 tum Failed; was called Iridium 21
24906 Iridium 23 Partial failure? in November 2010
24903 Iridium 26 unc Apparently failed in August 2011.
24946 Iridium 33 tum Destroyed by a collision on Feb. 10, 2009
24948 Iridium 28 unc Assumed failed about July 19, 2008
24967 Iridium 36 tum Failed in January 2007
25043 Iridium 38 tum Failed in August 2003
25078 Iridium 44 tum Failed
25105 Iridium 24 tum Failed
25262 Iridium 51 ? Spare
25319 Iridium 69 tum Failed
25320 Iridium 71 tum Failed
25344 Iridium 73 tum Failed
25345 Iridium 74 ? Removed from operation about January 8, 2006
25527 Iridium 2 tum Failed
25577 Iridium 20 was called Iridium 11
25578 Iridium 11 was called Iridium 20
25777 Iridium 14 ? Spare was called Iridium 14A
25778 Iridium 21 Replaced Iridium 74 was called Iridium 21A
27372 Iridium 91 Replaced Iridium 33 about Mar. 2, 2009 was called Iridium 90
27373 Iridium 90 ? Spare (new plane Jan. 2008) was called Iridium 91
27374 Iridium 94 ? Spare
27375 Iridium 95 Replaced Iridium 28 about July 26, 2008
27376 Iridium 96 ? Spare
27450 Iridium 97 Replaced Iridium 36 on Jan. 10, 2007
27451 Iridium 98 ? Spare (new plane May 2007)
Status Meaning
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blank Object is operational
tum tumbling - no flares, but flashes seen on favorable transits.
unc uncontrolled
? controlled, but not at operational altitude - flares may be unreliable.
man maneuvering, at least slightly. Flares may be unreliable and the
object may be early or late against prediction.
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Iridium Constellation Status information by Rod Sladen:
Iridium Status
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