Iridium Next Satellite Constellation

Hosted payload specifications of the iridium next constellation.

Iridium next satellite constellation.

The satellite constellation is iridium next and it consists of 75 vehicles 66 operational ones and nine spares. Specifically the company announced the execution of a fixed price contract with thales alenia space for the design and construction of satellites for the iridium next constellation. Formerly iridium satellite llc is a publicly traded american company headquartered in mclean virginia iridium operates the iridium satellite constellation a system of 66 active satellites and 9 spares in space used for worldwide voice and data communication from hand held satellite phones and other transceiver units. The iridium satellite constellation provides l band voice and data information coverage to satellite phones pagers and integrated transceivers over the entire earth surface.

Leopold and ken peterson in late 1987 in 1988 protected. With communications solutions ranging from satellite phones to broadband terminals iridium is trusted by more than a million mariners pilots humanitarians first responders and governments around the world. Iridium communications owns and operates the constellation additionally selling equipment and access to its services it was conceived by bary bertiger raymond j. Every component is designed for maximum longevity and to support a seamless transition from the existing satellite constellation to the new constellation.

Iridium next will replace the current constellation while retaining the 66 satellite leo low earth orbit architecture with six in orbit spares and nine ground spares. Extending the reach of terrestrial and cellular infrastructure like never before iridium certus mobile satellite communications across maritime iot aviation land mobile and government applications. After 20 years it was time for the next generation of iridium s constellation providing new and upgraded services to its growing list of customers and partners. Announced in june 2010 its comprehensive plan for funding building and deploying its next generation satellite constellation iridium next to replace the original iridium constellation.

The network is a very unique resilient leo low earth orbiting satellite constellation of 66 satellites plus in orbit spares. Iridium certus is the new advanced multi service platform enabled by the upgraded iridium constellation. The iridium next constellation is the first commercial satellite system offering spaces on each constellation member for hosted payloads in a public private partnership arrangement enabling a large infrastructure of earth monitoring payloads to be established at minimum cost.