User:LizArchive/SP-42

Iridium Aerospace is an American private aerospace firm and research organisation based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Iridium Aerospace develops launch vehicles, rockets and satellites.

History
Iridium Aerospace was founded as SP-42 in 1986 by Thom K Henson. In 1987, SP-42 employed 50 employees, and occupied a building near Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Atlas Programme
SP-42 launched the Atlas programme in January 1987 with a series of planned missions to Mars and Mercury. The Martian mission departed from the Earth in December 1987, and the Mercurian one departed in January 1988. The success of the first two Atlas spacecraft prompted SP-42 to extend the programme. In February 1988, SP-42 announced that they were planning missions to Jupiter, Venus and a special mission to both Vesta and Ceres.

In December 1988, SP-42 was renamed Iridum Aerospace.

Atlas
The Atlas program was the first space programme, initially launching in 1986.