Expected to begin launching in 2015, Iridium NEXT is the next-generation satellite constellation & the world’s largest ongoing commercial space venture. The new system, say Iridium, is designed to drive innovation, create opportunities and change the way people and organizations communicate – everywhere on the planet. 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.