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Iridium Repurposed For Science

Posted by Hemos on from the well-at-least-someone-is-using-the-darn-things dept.

Elvis Maximus writes " An article in today's New York Times describes how Iridium satellites' orientation sensors are being used to track currents in the Earth's magnetic field." The NYC Times, of course, wants registration info, so you'll have to make another account - but it's good to see at *someone* is using Iridium, cuz the customers certainly didn't.

4 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. Can't beat the price ... by funkman · · Score: 4

    How many science projects can get 70 satellites for $72 million? Almost 1 million per satellite. You couldn't get a better a bargain than that even if it were on ebay.

  2. New Scientist has also some coverage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4

    Look here

  3. Thoughts on Iridium by dgb2n · · Score: 4

    As one of those "lucky" few who actually tried out the phones, I wanted to pass on a few thoughts.

    The Iridium system ultimately failed commercially because it just didn't perform. Sure you could do some neat stuff with it (as we actually tested such as call in flight between planes by pointing the antenna out the window) but get the darn thing anywhere near a built up area such as a city and it had trouble picking up a satellite. The plan for the system to use local wireless phone systems where available (such as GSM in Europe) just didn't work as advertised. $7 per minute doesn't cut it. There just aren't enough people who operate outside wireless system footprints who can affort the price to make the system commercially viable.

    With so many satellites threatening to just burn up in the atmosphere, I'm in favor of whatever good usage can be made of this system. There have been a few posts complaining about the military's use/buy out of the system and I think they're dead wrong. If the military had not stepped in with funding to keep it aloft, there might not have been any scientific use of the system at all.

    The military will use Iridium, ironically enough, exactly how it was intended: for quick phone service outside areas where other commercial wireless phones don't work. Up until, the military relied heavily on INMARSAT which was bulky and for which military use was not really permitted under the usage agreement and bylaws.

  4. Use channel.nytimes.com by fhwang · · Score: 4

    Getting to the stories through channel.nytimes.com allows you to see the stories without registering. Here's that Iridium story.

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    Do domain names matter?