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Matt Desch News

04 Mar 2024

Iridium Acquires Satelles

Image courtesy Iridium

Iridium Communications has entered into an agreement to acquire Satelles, Inc., a leader in secure satellite-based time and location services that complement and protect GPS and other GNSS-reliant systems. The service, named Satellite Time and Location (STL), is designed as an easy-to-adopt, secure solution that increases the efficiency and reliability of timing systems for digital infrastructure like 5G base stations, data centers, and other critical infrastructure and protects…

10 Nov 2021

Iridium Certus 100 Service Launched

(Image: Iridium)

Iridium Communications Inc. announced the commercially availability of its Iridium Certus 100 "midband" service for maritime, land mobile, IoT, aviation and government customers. Iridium Certus 100 provides a blend of capabilities for satellite connectivity, enabling small, low-profile antennas and battery-powered devices designed for maximum mobility, but with IP data speeds that efficiently support sending important pictures, emails and other vital information from remote places…

15 Dec 2020

Iridium's GMDSS Service Goes Live

© Suphanat / Adobe Stock

Satellite communications provider Iridium Communications Inc. announced Tuesday that its Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) service officially went live on Friday, December 11, ending a monopoly held by rival Inmarsat and enhancing the integrity of global safety communications for seafarers globally.GMDSS is an internationally regulated service, governed by the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention. It provides life-saving assistance to seafarers in distress and has required equipment on board more than 60…

16 Jan 2019

Iridium Certus Service Goes Live

Iridium launched its Iridium Certus broadband service for commercial customers, the first new capability activated from the company’s $3 billion Iridium Next satellite replacement program.Iridium Certus is a platform designed for the development of specialty global broadband service applications, offering on-the-move internet and voice access, the mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe said.The service enables mobile office functionality for deployed teams and two-way remote communication for assets, autonomous vehicles, trains, aircraft and ships at sea. This also includes safety-of-life services…

22 Jan 2018

Date Set for Fifth Iridium NEXT Launch

Iridium Communications Inc. announced that the fifth Iridium NEXT launch has been targeted by SpaceX for March 18, 2018 at 8:19 a.m. PDT from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The first of four launches planned for 2018, Iridium-5 will deliver 10 more Iridium NEXT satellites to orbit, bringing the total number of new satellites deployed to 50. This launch will use the same Falcon 9 first stage as the Iridium-3 launch that took place in October 2017 and begin a rapid-cadence launch schedule targeting completion of the Iridium manifest by mid-2018. "We are entering the home stretch," said Matt Desch, chief executive officer, at Iridium. "This is going to be a monumental year for us as we complete our constellation refresh.

24 Dec 2017

Space X Launches Fourth Set of Iridium NEXT Satellites

Iridium Communications announced that, SpaceX successfully launched the fourth set of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The launch marks the midway point of the Iridium NEXT launch program, and was the first Iridium launch to use a SpaceX flight-proven rocket. The first stage booster for Iridium-4 was previously used for Iridium-2, making Iridium the first company to reuse the same rocket booster. Each launch strategically delivers new satellites to specific orbital planes, so that the complete Iridium NEXT constellation will be operational as soon as possible after all launches are complete.

09 Oct 2017

Iridium NEXT Successful Third Launch

Photo: Iridium

Iridium Communications has announced the successful third launch and deployment of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites. The satellites were delivered into low-Earth orbit approximately one hour after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 5:37 a.m. PDT. With two successful launches having already been completed this year, this third batch of 10 satellites brings the total number of Iridium NEXT satellites in orbit to 30, nearly half the amount required for a full Iridium NEXT operational constellation.

27 Jun 2017

Iridium Launches Latest 10 NEXT Satellites

Iridium has launched 10 of its Iridium NEXT satellites US aboard a SpaceX rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. This payload of 10 satellites was deployed into low-Earth orbit, approximately one hour after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg, at 1:25pm PDT (20:25 UTC). With this launch complete, there are now 20 Iridium NEXT satellites in orbit, establishing the infrastructure for groundbreaking technologies such as Iridium Certus and Aireon's space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) aircraft tracking and surveillance service. Iridium Certus is poised to disrupt industry norms by enabling truly global L-band satellite broadband speeds through smaller, more cost-effective antennas.

26 May 2017

Iridium’s Second NEXT Launch Pushed Forward

Iridium Communications announced the second launch for the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation has been moved earlier, and is now targeted for June 25, 2017 at 1:24:59 p.m. PDT with an instantaneous launch window. SpaceX informed Iridium that range availability had opened up at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in California, where SpaceX’s west coast launch facility is located, and planned to target Iridium’s launch four days earlier than originally scheduled. This launch will deliver the second payload of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites to orbit, bringing the total to 20 Iridium NEXT satellites in space. “We’re excited for this next launch,” said Matt Desch, chief executive officer, Iridium.

07 Jul 2014

Iridium GMDSS Application Reviewed by IMO

Iridium Communications Inc. today announced that its application to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the provision of mobile satellite communications in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) was reviewed by the IMO Subcommittee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR). The application will now proceed to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its next meeting in November, before advancing to a group of experts for comprehensive technical and operational evaluation. The delegates stated support for the United States position to advance Iridium's application to the next stage for evaluation. Final approval will be up to the Maritime Safety Committee, following review of the experts' report by NCSR, which is expected by mid-2016.

04 Feb 2014

Iridium Launches Portable Satellite Hotspot

Image courtesy Iridium Communications

Iridium Communications Inc. today announced Iridium GO!, the industry’s first portable satellite hotspot that connects to any smartphone or tablet, dramatically extending voice and data coverage for personal devices when they are out of range of cellular networks. Iridium GO! creates a satellite-backed Wi-Fi zone anywhere on the planet, enabling up to five smartphones to make calls, get their email, text and use some apps, even when terrestrial networks are non-existent, unreliable or costly.

02 Oct 2012

Iridium is Flying High Again

The fight in the maritime satcom sector is somewhat analogous to the one fought by Apple and Microsoft in the early ‘80s: two tech companies, polar-opposite philosophies and a raging battle for market share. Market watchers  likely have noted an increased “competitive spirit” among providers of ship-to-shore communication services. •    the need to keep crew content with         Email, Internet & entertainment. A corporate driver for change has been Iridium, the McLean, VA-based…

16 Feb 2012

Iridium CEO Matthew Desch Wins Award

Matthew (Matt) Desch, Chief Executive Officer, Iridium Communications, Inc.

Matthew (Matt) Desch, Chief Executive Officer, Iridium Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM), has been named Via Satellite’s Satellite Executive of the Year for 2011. Iridium boasted a strong performance in 2011 that exceeded estimates on nearly every metric. Financially speaking, the MSS operator grew in areas where it was not expected to grow, driven by its service, its technological innovation and its ability to be a catalyst to its ecosystem of development partners in an increasingly competitive sector and in new sectors, as well.

12 Sep 2011

Stratos Announces Availability of Iridium Extreme Satellite Phone

Iridium Extreme from Stratos is a single, in-hand solution for voice, data, GPS, SOS, SMS and online tracking. Photo: Courtesy Iridium.

Stratos also launches new mobile-phone tracking portal, fully integrated with Iridium Extreme. Stratos Global, the leading global provider of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions, today announced the commercial availability of the new Iridium Extreme(TM) satellite phone. Stratos today will begin shipping Iridium Extreme from all of its warehouses worldwide. Stratos is one of the world’s largest Iridium service providers with nearly 50,000 Iridium subscribers around the globe.

12 Aug 2010

Iridium Reports Strong Growth in Q2

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. The following reflects the results of Iridium Communications Inc. for the second quarter of 2010 compared to those of Iridium Holdings LLC (predecessor) for the second quarter of 2009. -    Total billable subscribers grew 16.8%, reaching approximately 383,000 – up from approximately 328,000 at the end of the comparable quarter last year. Growth occurred across all product areas. -    Commercial service revenue increased 13.8% to $45.5 million in the second quarter compared to $40.0 million during the second quarter of 2009. For the first half of the year, commercial service revenue was up 12.5% over the first half of 2009.

24 Jun 2010

Iridium Expands with South African License

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) announced the establishment of Iridium South Africa, under which Iridium has licenses to operate, provide and sell mobile satellite services (MSS) in the country. The authorization was provided by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the regulator for the South African communications and broadcasting services. This authorization enables Iridium partners the ability to better address the growing government and commercial enterprise market demand with Iridium products, services and applications in the country. The Iridium low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite constellation provides mobile voice and data communications over the entire planet, offering service where no other means of communication exists.