The 2018-05-21 Iridium launch will use a Falcon 9 with a previously flown first stage, as did the prior two Iridium launches.
Iridium’s net income decreased from $37,900,000 to $11.5 million, a change that included $25,000,000 of depreciation and amortization expenses and the absence of a temporary gain from an insourcing transaction with Boeing recorded the prior year.
Iridium reached an agreement with BPI France to raise new debt and delay payments owed to BPI-connected banks, allowing the company to defer bank payments originally due over the next two and a half years out to 2023 and 2024.
Iridium expected to receive IMO GMDSS certification in 2018.
Iridium’s rideshare mission with the GRACE Follow-On satellites will use a flight-proven Falcon 9 first stage, representing Iridium’s third mission to use a pre-flown Falcon 9 first stage.
Iridium’s legacy satellite constellation and its Iridium Next fleet operate using L-band frequencies.
Iridium completed a $360,000,000 debt raise on 2018-03-21 through senior-secured notes due in five years.
The new debt raise enabled Iridium to pay Thales Alenia Space $45,000,000 in deferred payments related to Iridium Next.