All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
SpaceX launched 10 Iridium Next telecommunications satellites on 2018-07-25 using a Falcon 9 rocket.
Iridium Next satellites carry more powerful L-band payloads capable of providing up to 1.4 Mbps of connectivity to boats, planes, and various satellite-connected devices.
SpaceX’s next mission after the Telstar 19 Vantage launch is a Falcon 9 carrying 10 Iridium Next satellites scheduled for launch on 2018-07-25 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center tested hosting space weather sensors on Iridium Next commercial satellites and has 22 of 32 hosted payloads on orbit.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 on 2018-05-22 from Vandenberg Air Force Base carrying five Iridium Next satellites and two GRACE-FO Earth science satellites using a previously-flown first stage.
Iridium and the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) booked a single Falcon 9 for the 2018-05-22 launch and split the cost between them.
Iridium spent around $3,000,000,000 on the Iridium Next program to purchase satellites from Thales Alenia Space in Europe.
The 2018-05-22 Falcon 9 launch carried five Iridium Next satellites and two science satellites for NASA and the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ).
Iridium completed a multiyear replacement of its first-generation constellation and expects all 66 operational Iridium Next satellites to be in service by the end of 2020.
The United Nations certified Iridium Communications to provide Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) services on 2020-05-21.
Rupert Pearce, CEO of Inmarsat, opposed Iridium’s GMDSS effort in 2014 on grounds that Iridium-supported GMDSS services would put lives at risk.
Iridium expects to begin providing GMDSS service in 2020.
Aireon owes Iridium $200,000,000 in hosting fees.
Aireon has 50 hosted payloads in orbit and five more payloads launching on Iridium’s next mission scheduled for 2018-05-22 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Aireon raised $69,000,000 from NATS to begin making hosting payments to Iridium Communications.
Aireon’s aircraft-tracking sensors are hosted payloads built onto the Iridium Next satellites.
Iridium received a modest discount from SpaceX for using reused boosters but prioritized schedule certainty to maintain an 18-month to 24-month launch schedule.
The 2018-05-21 mission will carry five Iridium Next satellites and will be a rideshare with GRACE-FO, an Earth science mission developed by NASA and the German Research Centre for Geosciences.
Iridium expects to win GMDSS approval and start offering the service by early 2020.
Iridium has launched 50 Iridium Next satellites on five SpaceX Falcon 9 launches dating back to January 2017.