The LM-700 is a satellite bus which was built by Lockheed Martin between the mid-1990s and early 2000s. Typically used for low Earth orbit communications satellites, ninety nine were built, all but one for Iridium Satellite LLC. The exception was a technology development satellite for the United States Air Force, which was never launched. In addition, two boilerplate satellites were launched on a test flight of the Chinese Long March 2C rocket.
Overview Two variants of the LM-700 were built. The ninety eight Iridium satellites used the LM-700A configuration, specialised for communications. Of these ninety five were launched, whilst three were retained as spares. One of the spare satellites is now displayed in the US National Air and Space Museum.
The LM-700B, designed for other missions, was also offered. One was built as the SBIRS-LADS demonstration satellite for the US Air Force's Space Based Infrared System, however its launch was cancelled after the satellite had been completed and delivered to the customer.
The LM-700A Iridium satellites were launched in clusters between 1997 and 2002. Satellites were launched in groups of five on Delta II 7920-10C rockets, groups of seven on Proton-K/DM2 rockets, pairs on the Long March 2C and on the last launch, two satellites on a Rockot. The cancelled SBIRS-LADS satellite would have used an Athena II.
An LM-700A, Iridium 33 was one of the satellites destroyed in the 2009 satellite collision. Most of the Iridium satellites currently in orbit have already exceeded their design life, whilst others are approaching the end of it, however at least enough satellites are still operating to maintain the network, which requires sixty six.
Satellites NameBusLaunchOwnerStatusRemarksDate/Time (GMT)RocketSiteIridium 1LM-700AN/AIridiumNot launchedIridium 2LM-700AN/AIridiumNot launchedIridium 3LM-700A1998-08-19, 23:01Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 4LM-700A1997-05-05, 14:55Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 5LM-700A1997-05-05, 14:55Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 6LM-700A1997-05-05, 14:55Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 7LM-700A1997-05-05, 14:55Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 8LM-700A1997-05-05, 14:55Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 9LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 10LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 11LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 12LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 13LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 14LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 15LM-700A1997-07-09, 13:04Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 16LM-700A1997-06-18, 14:02Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 17LM-700A1997-07-09, 13:04Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 18LM-700A1997-07-09, 13:04Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 19LM-700A1997-09-27, 01:23Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveDelta II 7920-10CIridiumFailedIridium 21LM-700A1997-07-09, 13:04Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumFailedIridium 22LM-700A1997-08-21, 00:38Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 23LM-700A1997-08-21, 00:38Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumFailedIridium 24LM-700A1997-08-21, 00:38Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 25LM-700A1997-08-21, 00:38Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 26LM-700A1997-08-21, 00:38Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 27LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumFailedIridium 28LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumRetiredFailed in July 2008, past end of design lifeIridium 29LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 30LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 31LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 32LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 33LM-700A1997-09-14, 01:36Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumDestroyedCollided with Kosmos-2251 in February 2009, past end of design lifeIridium 34LM-700A1997-09-27, 01:23Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 35LM-700A1997-09-27, 01:23Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 36LM-700A1997-09-27, 01:23Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 37LM-700A1997-09-27, 01:23Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 38LM-700A1997-11-09, 01:34Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 39LM-700A1997-11-09, 01:34Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 40LM-700A1997-11-09, 01:34Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 41LM-700A1997-11-09, 01:34Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 42LM-700A1997-12-08, 07:16Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 43LM-700A1997-11-09, 01:34Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 44LM-700A1997-12-08, 07:16Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 45LM-700A1997-12-20, 13:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 46LM-700A1997-12-20, 13:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 47LM-700A1997-12-20, 13:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 48LM-700A1997-12-20, 13:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 49LM-700A1997-12-20, 13:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 50LM-700A1998-02-18, 13:58Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 51LM-700A1998-03-25, 17:01Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 52LM-700A1998-02-18, 13:58Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 53LM-700A1998-02-18, 13:58Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 54LM-700A1998-02-18, 13:58Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 55LM-700A1998-03-30, 06:02Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 56LM-700A1998-02-18, 13:58Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 57LM-700A1998-03-30, 06:02Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 58LM-700A1998-03-30, 06:02Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 59LM-700A1998-03-30, 06:02Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 60LM-700A1998-03-30, 06:02Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 61LM-700A1998-03-25, 17:01Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 62LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 63LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 64LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 65LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 66LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 67LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 68LM-700A1998-04-07, 02:13Proton-K/DM2Baikonur Site 81/23IridiumActiveIridium 69LM-700A1998-05-02, 09:16Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 70LM-700A1998-05-17, 21:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 71LM-700A1998-05-02, 09:16Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 72LM-700A1998-05-17, 21:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 73LM-700A1998-05-17, 21:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 74LM-700A1998-05-17, 21:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 75LM-700A1998-05-17, 21:16Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 76LM-700A1998-08-19, 23:01Long March 2C-III/SDTaiyuan LC-1IridiumActiveIridium 77LM-700A1998-09-08, 21:13Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 78LM-700AN/AIridiumNot launchedIridium 79LM-700A1998-09-08, 21:13Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 80LM-700A1998-09-08, 21:13Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 81LM-700A1998-09-08, 21:13Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 82LM-700A1998-09-08, 21:13Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 83LM-700A1998-11-06, 13:37Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 84LM-700A1998-11-06, 13:37Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 85LM-700A1998-11-06, 13:37Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 86LM-700A1998-11-06, 13:37Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveIridium 87LM-700A1998-11-06, 13:37Delta II 7920-10CVandenberg SLC-2WIridiumActiveSBIRS-LADSLM-700BN/AAthena IIVandenberg SLC-6USAFNot launched
See also Orbcomm (satellite)
References