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SpaceX Sends New Batch of Iridium Satellites Into Orbit

Elon Musk’s 14th blast-off of the year leaves the telecom firm with one left to complete its $3 billion constellation.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from the Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California on Dec. 22, 2017. — The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from the Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California on Dec. 22, 2017.
Photographer: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

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By Dana Hull and Justin Bachman

July 25, 2018 at 11:42 AM UTC

Updated on

July 25, 2018 at 5:45 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. launched a batch of satellites for longtime customer Iridium Communications Inc. early Wednesday, marking the company’s 14th mission of 2018.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base on California’s central coast at 4:39 a.m. local time. The rocket successfully deployed 10 Iridium NEXT satellites to low Earth orbit about an hour after launch, Iridium said.