Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

xShooK t1_j37dqdp wrote

Reply to comment by Zendog500 in Qualcomm partners with Iridium to bring satellite messaging to Android phones by thebelsnickle1991

They went bankrupt in 99 after start up?

5

damifynoU t1_j37xbvy wrote

Pretty sure the government bought their satellites because iridium was going to crash them into the ocean to decomission the whole fleet.

5

bergsteroj t1_j38egm2 wrote

It was Motorola who was going to crash the satellites rather than keep maintaining them. They spent tons of money develop h the system for the completely wrong market (which was completely taken over by widespread cell phones).

Iridium is the name of the satellite constellation as well as the company that was eventually formed to save the satellites (was a mess getting funding and insurance agreements that Motorola would accept). The system is still highly used for remote wildness communication (such as Garmin InReach), satellite phones by military and other expeditionary groups, and making inroads to take marker share from companies like IMARSAT for cruise ships and airlines.

The satellites are still very much functioning and in use and new ones being launched.

5