IMPROVED IRIDIUM NEXT TO PROVIDE IRIDIUM WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND MARKET PRESENCE
NEWTOWN, Conn. - Iridium plans to operate a second-generation LEO satellite constellation known as Iridium NEXT, consisting of 81 satellites, including in-orbit satellites and ground spares. The company is focusing on getting its next-generation satellites into orbit and finding payloads to host on board the satellites.
Thales Alenia Space will provide all 81 Iridium NEXT satellites under a $2.2 billion deal. French export credit agency Coface has guaranteed a $1.8 billion credit facility to fund the effort. Iridium will fund the remainder of the cost, which is expected to total approximately $2.9 billion, including launch, from its own cash flows.
The majority of the space dedicated to hosted payloads will be used by Aireon LLC, a joint venture between Iridium and NAV CANADA that will provide ADS-B services to air navigation agencies. ANSPs in Denmark, Ireland, and Italy have also joined the project. These services will be important over ocean regions, where land-based ADS-B receivers cannot be deployed. Aireon-owned payloads are expected to utilize about 80 percent of the space allotted on Iridium NEXT satellites for hosted payloads. Under an agreement with Iridium, Harris will market the remaining 20 percent of hosted payload space.
Iridium NEXT will offer improved capabilities compared to the current generation of satellites, giving Iridium even more opportunities to expand its market presence. Forecast International expects all Iridium NEXT satellites to be delivered on or near schedule. Deliveries will be completed by 2017. Those satellites will likely remain in orbit for about a decade before needing to be replaced.
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