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Iridium Pushes Ahead Satellite Project

Posted by samzenpus on from the space-business dept.

oxide7 writes "Iridium (IRDM) continues its push into the market for satellite data and telemetry services, as it announced the company that would build its second generation of satellites. Iridium's old network of 66 satellites was designed for voice calls; the new satellites will also be able to handle data more efficiently, and include cameras as well. The company also plans to share the satellite platforms with some scientists for use in studying the Earth."

6 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Can Slashvertisements get any more obvious?! by Rusty+KB · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A slashvertisement for *who*? Raise you hand if you can afford a satellite!

  2. Business Plan? by backslashdot · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I really hope they solved the 3 issues with their previous attempt: 1. Cost per minute of usage 2. Need for huge antennas (adds to bulk/weight) 3. Massive battery required (makes the phone bulky/heavier).

    1. Re:Business Plan? by zulux · · Score: 3, Interesting

      A friend borrowed my Iridium phone and had to use their emergency services (911) - the call center that they were hooked up to was in his words "frighteningly competent." ...

      Rambling Iridium thoughts:

      I've enjoyed the service myself - with the phone and and a Psion Revo (It has a native serial port), I can telnet to any of my severs while in the woods. Strangely, it let's me relax knowing that I can help out my users.

      At around 2400 baud - don't use SSH. Oh... Screen is your friend as it does cut out enough.

      If you use a PC - it come with some proxy software and a proxy server that will remove/compress images, but any computer with a serial port can use it as a modem. Sadly, modern pdas lack serial ports, but old Posion Revos/5-series are cheap, last a long time, and have awesome keyboards and work well.

      I have an older Motorola Iridium phone, so I don't know if this setup would work with the more modern phones.

      --

      Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.

  3. New Iridium satellites ? by ctrl-alt-canc · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I hope they will be less reflective. Their flares cause troubles to astronomers.

    1. Re:New Iridium satellites ? by The+Grim+Reefer2 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I was wondering the same, as well as if they would be a predictive as the current ones. My 6 YO enjoys seeing them so we check the schedule at heavens-above.com regularly for bright ones at "reasonable" times.

  4. Not true. by Aldric · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Iridium are the best duplex LEO network (better for low power applications than GEO) and the only serious competition to Inmarsat. Inmarsat would not have made nearly as much progress if they had no decent competition - GlobalStar are simplex and Orbcomm are as abysmally useless are always.