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Iridium and SpaceX – A partnership ushering in a new era of space
Published Time:
2022-01-10 13:38
Source:
Iridium
In this industry, innovation, precision, and collaboration are key to bringing revolutionary technologies to market. As Iridium CEO Matt Desch says, "In the satellite space industry, we have to work with other companies. Partnerships are critical, and our partnership with SpaceX demonstrates how important collaboration is to success."
SpaceX is a leading commercial space exploration company in the design, manufacture, and launch of advanced rockets and spacecraft. It provides regular cargo resupply missions for NASA and is the first rocket provider planning to send humans to Mars. But before its reputation, good or bad, SpaceX was a startup with big goals. In 2010, Iridium believed in the company's vision and signed on with them to launch the next generation global satellite system—Iridium NEXT—becoming SpaceX's largest commercial customer. Iridium put its biggest project in the hands of a startup, which was essentially a vote of confidence in SpaceX's future.
As Iridium's sole launch provider, the partnership with SpaceX is an example of trust, ingenuity, and perseverance. Iridium COO Scott Smith notes, "There are so many variables to consider when preparing for a launch, and any small deviation or unexpected behavior could jeopardize the integrity of the launch."
Today, SpaceX employs over 4,000 people, and Iridium remains its largest commercial customer. Seven years ago, Iridium purchased a new SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which would set a new standard for the space industry, aiming to launch 9 satellites. Over the years, the rocket's development has exceeded expectations, now allowing Iridium to launch 10 Iridium NEXT satellites on each Falcon 9 rocket—a remarkable technological achievement.
Each Iridium NEXT satellite weighs 1,900 pounds, equivalent to the weight of a Mini Cooper car. To put this in perspective, each rocket journey to space carries approximately 19,000 pounds—the weight of a semi-trailer truck!
The two companies have overcome countless challenges; however, on January 14, 2017, the first Iridium NEXT appeared. On that day, SpaceX successfully launched the first 10 Iridium NEXT satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket. All subsequent launches would use the same type of rocket, which is entirely US-made and designed to be the world's first fully reusable rocket, ultimately lowering the cost of space travel.
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell says, "I think both companies (Iridium and SpaceX) are incredibly innovative companies. Iridium and SpaceX clearly like to change concepts—change to be better, not change for the sake of change."
Desch continues, "To build a successful LEO satellite network, you have to scale it up a notch. You need to be 10 times stronger than your competitors. Partnering with SpaceX allowed us to find a feasible, cost-effective launch plan that sets us apart and allows us to embark on the largest technological upgrade in the history of space."
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