Hoist with its own petard: Iridium says fuel tank in California walnut grove likely from its satellite

by Peter B. de Selding

PARIS — Iridium Communications Chief Executive Matt Desch, an active proponent of measures to mitigate the accumulation of orbital debris, since October has had a first-hand look at the unpredictability of constellation management.

That’s when a titanium fuel tank likely from Iridium’s SV-70 satellite launched 20 years ago fell into a California walnut grove. It was apparently the first time an old Iridium satellite had survived reentry. As of Jan. 3, 46 first-generation spacecraft had been deorbited, Iridium said.

In a Jan. 3 conference call . . .

To view the entire article, become a subscriber!

You may also like