Iridium Communications

Iridium Communications Inc. is a publicly traded American satellite communications company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Its principal operating subsidiary is Iridium Satellite LLC. Iridium operates the Iridium satellite constellation, a system of 80 satellites: 66 are operational satellites and fourteen function as in-orbit spares. Iridium satellites are used for worldwide voice and data communication from handheld satellite phones, satellite messenger communication devices and integrated transceivers. The company is also developing standards-based direct-to-device satellite connectivity for conventional mobile and Internet of things devices. Iridium's satellites also host the space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) receivers operated by Aireon, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Iridium in 2026. The nearly polar orbits and communication between satellites via inter-satellite links provide global service availability.