Iridium to Develop Payload for Satellite Navigation System

As per the trusted sources of information, on June 24, Iridium Communications announced receiving a contract from the U.S. Army to develop a Payload that could be used to broadcast data, including the timing or location signals.

The contract costs up to USD 30 million for the research and development activities on the project. Iridium will design a small satellite Payload hosted by an unknown constellation in the earth’s lower orbit. The main aim of building the Payload is to support military users dependent on the GPS signals for positioning the navigation and timing.

As stated by Iridium, Matt Desch, the project will complete in at least three years. He noted that the company would develop a concept based on the Iridium Burst service, which is likely to transmit data to several enabled devices from the network of 66 satellites that are orbiting in the low Earth orbit. He further added that it is a bit of a science project.The company will put its work on two significant subcontractors, which are Satelles and SEAKR.

It is the idea of transmitting the timing information with the help of LEO system. He further stated that the contract is not about offering an Iridium-based service. Still, the company is likely to develop new capabilities, which are likely to be exploited in several ways, and then it can turn into a product he mentioned.