Iridium
Coverage: Global, pole-to-pole | Satellites: 66 active satellites/14 spare satellites in orbit/Network crosslinked for optimised reliability and resilience | Hardware Types: Various industry-defining modems and antennas/Low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) equipment | Orbit/Operating Frequency Range: Low Earth orbit (LEO), approximately 780km (485 miles) above Earth/Satellites travelling over 30,000km per hour/L-band frequencies for aviation, resilient to weather conditions | Equipment Price: Iridium Certus 100 solutions: Starting at $10,000/Iridium Certus 700 solutions: Up to $150,000 | Installation Cost: Proportional to hardware costs/Lower SWaP, easier and less expensive to install | Brands: Iridium Certus: Speed capabilities: 22 Kbps to 704 Kbps/Weather-resilient L-band connectivity/Secure cockpit domain with voice and data capabilities/Supports Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), critical data, and passenger communications | Partners: Multiple Value-Added Manufacturers (VAMs) and Value-Added Resellers (VARs) | Acquisitions: Satelles, Inc. (2023): Leader in secure satellite-based time and location services/Five-year commercial contract with L3Harris Technologies for the Iridium Satellite Time and Location (STL) service | Aircraft: Connectivity solutions for all aircraft types/Currently flying on mid-size business jets, rotorcraft, large UAVs and air transport solutions by year-end | Installers: Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)/Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) providers globally
Iridium
Coverage: Global, pole-to-pole | Satellites: 66 active satellites/14 spare satellites in orbit/Network crosslinked for optimised reliability and resilience | Hardware Types: Various industry-defining modems and antennas/Low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) equipment | Orbit/Operating Frequency Range: Low Earth orbit (LEO), approximately 780km (485 miles) above Earth/Satellites travelling over 30,000km per hour/L-band frequencies for aviation, resilient to weather conditions | Equipment Price: Iridium Certus 100 solutions: Starting at $10,000/Iridium Certus 700 solutions: Up to $150,000 | Installation Cost: Proportional to hardware costs/Lower SWaP, easier and less expensive to install | Brands: Iridium Certus: Speed capabilities: 22 Kbps to 704 Kbps/Weather-resilient L-band connectivity/Secure cockpit domain with voice and data capabilities/Supports Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), critical data, and passenger communications | Partners: Multiple Value-Added Manufacturers (VAMs) and Value-Added Resellers (VARs) | Acquisitions: Satelles, Inc. (2023): Leader in secure satellite-based time and location services/Five-year commercial contract with L3Harris Technologies for the Iridium Satellite Time and Location (STL) service | Aircraft: Connectivity solutions for all aircraft types/Currently flying on mid-size business jets, rotorcraft, large UAVs and air transport solutions by year-end | Installers: Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)/Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) providers globally
Equipment price:
Iridium Certus 100 solutions:
Starting at $10,000
Iridium Certus 700 solutions:
Up to $150,000
Installation time:
• Proportional to hardware costs
• Lower SWaP, easier and less expensive to install
Download, Upload, and Latency Speeds:
Iridium Certus 100:
Download: Up to 88Kbps Upload: Up to 88Kbps Latency: Optimized for strict size, weight, and power requirements
Iridium Certus 200:
Download: Up to 176Kbps Upload: Up to 176Kbps
Iridium Certus 700:
Download: Up to 704Kbps Upload: High-quality dual voice lines
Monthly costs:
• As low as $100/month for basic services
• Up to a few thousand dollars per month for business jet connectivity
Uncapped:
$10,000
Words by Scott D. McCreary and Joel A. Bulleigh, McAfee & Taft
The concept for Iridium Global Constellation is born
Original Iridium LLC declared bankruptcy
Iridium network saved by a group of investors, service contract with the US government
Iridium NEXT announced, largest space-based technology refresh
Iridium is acquired and becomes publicly listed company
Iridium and SpaceX sign launch contract for Iridium Next
First successful call is made over Iridium Next hardware
Iridium surpasses 1,000,000 active network subscribers
25th anniversary
Iridium surpasses 2,000,000 active network subscribers
Upgraded constellation expected to service users globally.
MOTOROLA ENGINEERS first dreamed up the concept of a global satellite network for phone users in 1987. Iridium, named after the metal with atomic number 77, was born. Initial thinking was that 77 satellites were needed to cover the globe.
But in the 10 years it took to finance, build and launch the network, cell phone technology had leapt forward, making it much less expensive and much more convenient for consumers. This had a profound effect on Iridium and it declared bankruptcy in 1999.
Motorola was set to shut down the Iridium network in 2000 but days before the deorbiting of the constellation, a small group of investors came to the rescue. The new Iridium, or Iridium 2.0 as it is known to some, rapidly expanded to other markets as well. By the mid-2000s, the first-generation satellites, originally launched in the late 1990s, had far surpassed their expected five- to seven-year lifespan.
In 2007, Iridium announced plans for Iridium Next, a mission that would replace the original satellite constellation entirely and become the largest space-based technology refresh in history.
Now operational, the upgraded Iridium constellation is made up of 66 active satellites, with an additional fourteen in-orbit spares. It is forecast to service Iridium’s 2.5m global users and counting beyond 2030.
Iridium business aviation customers include Bombardier which selected the provider’s Certus offering for the Challenger 3500 aircraft series. Featuring a top connectivity speed of 704Kbps, Certus provides a “strong foundation” for connectivity needs, with low latency, stretching from north to south and from east to west.
“The Iridium Certus connectivity option was the ideal choice for our Challenger 3500 customers seeking a seamless combination of speed and convenience,” says a Bombardier spokesperson. “Convenience is also a key benefit for our Challenger 3500 customers who have the ability to install the Iridium Certus option as a retrofit.
“This solution also provides Challenger 3500 customers with faster speeds, lower weight and smaller antenna footprint than legacy satcom systems allowing for minimum drag and lower power usage.”
