Iridium has unveiled plans to offer third party payloads on new standalone satellites that can tap into its next generation MSS constellation.
The operator is teaming up with Thales to make the Iridium PRIME programme available for launches as early as…
Iridium has unveiled plans to offer third party payloads on new standalone satellites that can tap into its next generation MSS constellation.
The operator is teaming up with Thales to make the Iridium PRIME programme available for launches as early as Q4 2017.
According to Iridium CEO Matt Desch, the world’s first turnkey hosted payload solution reduces complexity, allows customers longer lead times for budgeting purposes, and could slash typical satellite project costs by more than half – depending on how much hosting space is required.
It would see the company act as a payload “concierge service” for government and commercial players, involving up to 66 Iridium PRIME satellites capable of using its existing inter-satellite links and ground systems.
The spacecraft’s bus will be derived from Iridium NEXT satellites, with the L-band parts Iridium uses for its own communications needs removed to support more capacity and a wider variety of applications.
Iridium would order the satellites from Thales on a case by case basis, and there is no long-term agreement with a specific launch provider.
“With Iridium PRIME, we are using our expertise to leverage our US$3bn investment in the Iridium NEXT constellation to create new business opportunities at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional stand-alone missions, opening space-based solutions to an array of new customers,” said Desch.
“As a result, we anticipate significant hosting and data services revenue for Iridium over the next 15 to 20 years.”
Speaking in Paris for World Satellite Business Week 2013, Desch said he expected to see demand from a variety of players, such as space-based weather monitoring ventures.
He said the venture was formed following significant demand for payloads on Iridium NEXT which it did not have the space to cater for.
Global aviation monitoring system Aireon is taking up the majority of the payload space on Iridium NEXT, which has recently seen its first launch date brought forward to February 2015.
Harris Corp, which is building Aireon and has taken up the rest of the available space as it looks to strike deals for auxiliary payloads, has also joined the Iridium PRIME programme.
Desch told SatelliteFinance that he aims to bring onboard more companies that could offer payload capabilities on the new constellation, adding that he hopes to sign up Iridium PRIME’s first customer within 12 months.
Bill Gattle, VP and general manager of national programmes at Harris Corp, said: “Through our strategic relationship, Harris and Iridium are revolutionising the space industry with flexible and cost-effective solutions.
“Customers have expressed a strong desire for resilient and affordable mission solutions. We view Iridium PRIME as transformational for our government and commercial customers and are excited to join Iridium in this market-changing offering.”
