# Iridium 135

> satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q111471069](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111471069)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/iridium-135

## Summary
Iridium 135 is an artificial satellite, catalogued as NORAD ID 43070 and COSPAR ID 2017-083A, that was launched into orbit on 23 December 2017 by a Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4. It is part of the Iridium-NEXT constellation that provides global voice and data communications.

## Key Facts
- NORAD catalog number: 43070
- COSPAR international designator: 2017-083A
- Launch date: 23 December 2017
- Launch vehicle: Falcon 9 Full Thrust
- Launch site: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4)
- Instance of: artificial satellite
- Wolfram Language entity: Entity["Satellite", "43070"]

## FAQs
### Q: When did Iridium 135 launch?
A: Iridium 135 launched on 23 December 2017.

### Q: Which rocket carried Iridium 135 to orbit?
A: A Falcon 9 Full Thrust variant of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carried Iridium 135.

### Q: Where was Iridium 135 launched from?
A: It lifted off from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4 on California's central coast.

## Why It Matters
Iridium 135 is one of 66 operational satellites in the Iridium-NEXT constellation that replaced the original Iridium network to deliver worldwide voice, text, and broadband services to land, maritime, and aviation users. By flying in low-Earth polar orbits, these satellites enable truly global coverage—including the poles—where geostationary satellites cannot reach. The successful deployment of Iridium 135 and its siblings on Falcon 9 Full Thrust missions demonstrated the viability of regular, cost-effective rideshare launches for large LEO constellations, a model now copied by multiple broadband megaconstellations.

## Notable For
- One of 75 Iridium-NEXT satellites launched between 2017 and 2019
- Rideshare payload on a Falcon 9 Full Thrust flight that released multiple satellites in a single mission
- Operates in a polar orbit, providing coverage to remote regions underserved by geostationary satellites

## Body
### Launch Details
Iridium 135 was injected into orbit on 23 December 2017 by a Falcon 9 Full Thrust launch vehicle lifting off from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4. The mission carried multiple Iridium-NEXT satellites, each deployed into a near-polar low-Earth orbit.

### Technical Identity
- NORAD catalog: 43070
- COSPAR ID: 2017-083A

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report