Iridium Communications Inc. is a publicly traded American company that operates the Iridium satellite constellation, a system of 80 satellites in low Earth orbit. Iridium provides global voice and data communication services via handheld satellite phones, messaging devices, and integrated transceivers. The company partners with various organizations, including General Dynamics Mission Systems and SpaceX, and serves diverse sectors such as aviation, maritime, and government, offering services like the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The 19th-flight first stage on the 2024-07-11 mission had previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and 13 Starlink missions.
The Falcon 9 first stage that flew the 2024-07-11 mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and 13 Starlink missions.
Iridium Communications secured a new five-year contract valued at $94,000,000 with a potential total value of $103,000,000 to provide communication support services to the U.S. Department of Defense on 2024-06-04.
Iridium partner Blue Sky Network developed and integrated the global, dual-mode SkyLink 7100 terminal on the aircraft.
Iridium will provide the STL service to more than three dozen L3Harris-operated communications network backbone nodes throughout the United States.
Iridium acquired Satelles, Inc. in April 2024.
Aireon currently provides ADS-B surveillance services using hosted payloads on Iridium Communications’ low Earth orbit constellation.
The first stage booster supporting the 2024-03-10 Falcon 9 mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and multiple prior Starlink missions.
Iridium will pay about $115 million, net of cash remaining in Satelles, to acquire the remaining approximately 80 percent ownership, financed through a tack-on to its term loan.
On 2024-03-04, Iridium Communications plans to buy out Satelles, which provides a backup for GPS via Iridium’s L-band network.
Iridium Communications joined the Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, and the International Air Transport Association in a legal filing to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on 2024-02-09 supporting the government’s motion to dismiss Ligado’s lawsuit.
The first stage booster on the 2024-01-23 mission had previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and multiple prior Starlink missions.
Iridium Communications has launched Project Stardust to evolve its Direct-to-Device strategy using 3GPP 0.005 kg standards-based NB-IoT Non-Terrestrial Network service development.
Iridium Communications plans to provide messaging services directly to standard smartphones using standardized network protocols in the coming years.
Iridium Communications plans to make its low Earth orbit constellation compatible with 0.005 kg standards used by mass-market smartphones to enable messaging and SOS services outside cellular coverage from 2026.
The GMDSS Academy curricula are free and taught by Iridium Service Providers.
Iridium Communications Inc. has launched the Iridium Global Maritime Distress and Safety System Academy (GMDSS Academy) to provide curricula specific to GMDSS and related safety services.
The first stage booster supporting the 2023-11-20 mission previously launched Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, DART, Transporter-7, Iridium OneWeb, SDA-0B, and multiple prior Starlink missions.
Qualcomm had an agreement with Iridium to support hardware development and a separate agreement to sell the enabling technology to smartphone makers, and both agreements will terminate on 2023-12-03.
Iridium Communications is developing business uses of satellite spectrum to reach next-generation smartphones.