Iridium and SpaceX Sign Major Commercial Launch Contract

[Galactic Penguin SST]

First Iridium Next Satellites To Launch on Dnepr Rocket

http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/120802-iridium-next-satellites-launch-dnepr-rocket.html

The strange thing is that the Dnepr could be dead by the end of 2012.... 

http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=965894#965894

http://www.ria.ru/science/20120718/702409300.html

[Stan Black]

Проведение исследования возможности выведения ракетой-носителем "Союз-2" с РБ "Фрегат" полезной нагрузки "ИРИДИУМ НЕКСТ" с космодрома Байконур

http://www.samspace.ru/zakupki/plany_zakupok/
http://www.samspace.ru/upload/iblock/87b/План%20закупки%20ГНПРКЦ%20ЦСКБ-Прогресс.xlsx

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Проведение исследования возможности выведения ракетой-носителем "Союз-2" с РБ "Фрегат" полезной нагрузки "ИРИДИУМ НЕКСТ" с космодрома Байконур

http://www.samspace.ru/zakupki/plany_zakupok/
http://www.samspace.ru/upload/iblock/87b/План%20закупки%20ГНПРКЦ%20ЦСКБ-Прогресс.xlsx

So it looks like Iridium has again ordered some Baikonur-based Soyuz rockets again? Or that's the old batch?

[Skyrocket]

Проведение исследования возможности выведения ракетой-носителем "Союз-2" с РБ "Фрегат" полезной нагрузки "ИРИДИУМ НЕКСТ" с космодрома Байконур

http://www.samspace.ru/zakupki/plany_zakupok/
http://www.samspace.ru/upload/iblock/87b/План%20закупки%20ГНПРКЦ%20ЦСКБ-Прогресс.xlsx

So it looks like Iridium has again ordered some Baikonur-based Soyuz rockets again? Or that's the old batch?

They haven't ordered. This says it is a study to use the Soyuz-2 for Iridium-NEXT.  BTW, no Iridium satellite has flown on a Soyuz rocket by now.

[beidou]

Does anyone know if Iridium Next satellites will carry atomic clocks in space?

[StephenB]

Does anyone know if Iridium Next satellites will carry atomic clocks in space?

Either that or use GPS for a time reference, I'd imagine.

[joek]

Does anyone know if Iridium Next satellites will carry atomic clocks in space?

Either that or use GPS for a time reference, I'd imagine.

Iridium NEXT does not have an atomic clock (edit: they use a quartz oscillator + other stuff).  However, NASA plans on flying one as a hosted payload on one of them as a technology demonstrator (see  Deep Space Atomic Clock).

[Ronsmytheiii]

Does anyone know if Iridium Next satellites will carry atomic clocks in space?

Either that or use GPS for a time reference, I'd imagine.

Iridium NEXT does not have an atomic clock (edit: they use a quartz oscillator + other stuff).  However, NASA plans on flying one as a hosted payload on one of them as a technology demonstrator (see  Deep Space Atomic Clock).

the Atomic flight demonstrator is not on the Iridium NEXt, it will be on a Surrey Satellite Technology satellite

From the link:

The DSAC project currently is building a demonstration unit and payload to be hosted on a spacecraft provided by Surrey Satellite Technologies U.S. of Englewood, Colo. It will launch to Earth orbit in 2015, where the payload will be operated for at least a year to demonstrate its functionality and utility for one-way-based navigation.

[starsilk]

Thales Alenia Space Delivers Iridium Simulators to SpaceX:

http://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2014/03/05/thales-alenia-space-delivers-iridium-simulators-to-spacex/

[Comga]

Thales Alenia Space Delivers Iridium Simulators to SpaceX:
http://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2014/03/05/thales-alenia-space-delivers-iridium-simulators-to-spacex/

"SpaceX Falcon9 rocket will launch eight of the 10 satellite simulators. Photo: Wikimedia"  ?
They're not going to launch the satellite simulators, are they?
And the photo is of an F9 V1.0 with a Dragon cargo capsule.
Not a shining example of technical reporting
(They need to come here to learn how it should be done.)