Welcome to

NewSpace Index

Concise original overview of commercial satellite constellations,
small satellite rocket launchers and NewSpace funding options.
Sister websites www.nanosats.eu and www.factoriesinspace.com

Iridium (NEXT)

Constellation name NEXT
Constellation field Internet, IoT / M2M, Orbital Data Relay, Constellation-As-A-Service, Direct-to-Cell, Satellite-to-Cellphone
Constellation info

Original Iridium was launched between 1997-2002 and has been mostly deorbited. Extra hosted payloads from ExactEarth and Aireon.
Constellation status Launches completed
Launched satellites 75
Planned satellites 75
Form factor Satellite
Orbit LEO
Manufacturer Thales Alenia
First launch 2017
Photos Iridium
Photo source [1]
 
Logo Iridium logo
Company Iridium
Oneliner

In a world where global communications are increasingly essential, only one company connects everyone to the things that matter most, from pole to pole. Iridium Communications Inc. is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering pole-to-pole coverage over the entire globe. 
Funding $3B+
Country US
Founded 2000
Social
 
 

Last modified: 2023-11-12

What is NewSpace?

NewSpace is a global industry of private companies and entrepreneurs who primarily target commercial customers, are backed by risk capital seeking a return, and seek to profit from innovative products or services developed in or for space.

NewSpace Global, newspaceglobal.com

Alt.space, NewSpace, entrepreneurial space, and other labels have been used to describe approaches to space development that different significantly from that taken by NASA and the mainstream aerospace industry.

Hobby Space, hobbyspace.com

People, businesses and organizations working to open the space frontier to human settlement through economic development.

Space Frontier Foundation, spacefrontier.org