# Iridium 10

> satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q111498621](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111498621)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/iridium-10

## Summary
Iridium 10 was an artificial satellite that operated as part of the Iridium satellite constellation, a network designed to provide global voice and data coverage. Launched in June 1997 atop a Proton-K rocket, it served as a communications satellite before re-entering the Earth's atmosphere in October 2018.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Artificial satellite; classified as a former entity.
- **Part of:** Iridium satellite constellation.
- **Launch Date:** June 18, 1997.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Proton-K (Russian carrier rocket).
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/23.
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 24839.
- **COSPAR ID:** 1997-030D.
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1997-030D.
- **Decommissioning:** Atmospheric entry occurred on October 6, 2018.

## FAQs
### Q: What was Iridium 10?
A: Iridium 10 was a human-made object (artificial satellite) launched into orbit to facilitate voice and data coverage as part of the larger Iridium satellite constellation.

### Q: When was Iridium 10 launched?
A: The satellite was launched on June 18, 1997, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/23.

### Q: What happened to Iridium 10?
A: The satellite is considered a "former entity" because it underwent atmospheric entry and decayed on October 6, 2018.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Iridium 10?
A: It was launched using a Proton-K, a Russian (formerly Soviet) carrier rocket.

## Why It Matters
Iridium 10 represents a specific unit within one of the earliest global satellite telephone constellations. Its launch in 1997 contributed to the initial deployment of a communications infrastructure aimed at providing coverage anywhere on Earth, particularly in remote regions lacking terrestrial cell towers.

The satellite's lifecycle, spanning from its launch on a Russian Proton-K rocket to its eventual atmospheric entry in 2018, illustrates the operational duration of first-generation low-earth orbit (LEO) communications hardware. The transition of Iridium 10 from an active satellite to a "former entity" via controlled or natural atmospheric decay highlights the end-of-life management required for orbital infrastructure. Its existence underscores the complexity of maintaining global satellite networks, which rely on a mix of orbital mechanics and international launch capabilities (evidenced by the use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome).

## Notable For
- **Constellation Member:** Being a component of the Iridium satellite constellation, providing voice and data coverage.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Utilization of the Proton-K rocket, a prominent Russian/Soviet launch system.
- **Lifecycle Completion:** Distinct status as a "former entity" due to its verified atmospheric entry in 2018.
- **Specific Identifiers:** Possession of a unique Satellite Catalog Number (24839) and COSPAR ID (1997-030D).
- **Launch Location:** Deployment from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/23.

## Body

### Mission and Classification
Iridium 10 functioned as an artificial satellite, defined as a human-made object put into orbit. It was an integral component of the Iridium satellite constellation, a system specifically engineered to offer voice and data coverage to subscribers globally.

### Launch and Deployment
The satellite was successfully launched on **June 18, 1997**.
- **Launch Vehicle:** The mission utilized a **Proton-K** rocket, a Russian carrier rocket previously used in the Soviet era.
- **Launch Site:** The launch originated from **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/23**.
- **Orbital Identifiers:** Upon deployment, it was assigned the COSPAR ID **1997-030D** and the Satellite Catalog Number **24839**.

### Operational Conclusion
Iridium 10 ceased to exist as an orbital object on **October 6, 2018**. Records indicate a significant event of "atmospheric entry" on this date, resulting in its classification as a **former entity**.

### Technical Data
- **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** `Entity["Satellite", "24839"]`
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1997-030D

## References

1. SATCAT