A suite of satellites that are scheduled to launch this weekend will help to expand real-time global coverage for tracking airplanes in flight. Ten IridiumNext satellites, which weigh about 1,900 pounds each, will be loaded into a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and deployed into low-Earth orbit, about 485 miles above the surface. The satellites will be the first to launch for Aireon’s global network, which will comprise a total of 66 satellites by mid-2018.
Source: avwebNew Satellites Promise Better ATC Coverage