Iridium. The 77th element in the periodic table.
And the name of the global Satellite network which provides pole-to-pole communications coverage.
The Iridium Satellite allows any device to link up to a data network which can be accessed and used from anywhere in the world.
Originally built by Motorola in the 1990s, its name was derived from an estimate that it would take 77 satellites to cover the entire globe.
It actually required just 66 satellites to provide adequate coverage, but the name Iridium – the 77th element in the periodic table – had already stuck and a legacy was born.
Having made the first successful phone call using the Iridium satellite network in 1998, it was not long before complications arose.
Unfortunately, for Motorola, they overestimated initial demand and their expensive airtime fees saw the holding company behind the Iridium network go bankrupt.
Thankfully, it was not long before Iridium Satellite LLC recognised the satellite network’s true potential and they stepped in with an offer to take ownership.
Today the network is used by explorers, journalists, search & rescue teams, the military – and SATcase.
By virtue of its unrivalled network coverage, the Iridium satellite network provides 100% peace of mind for our users by guaranteeing they are always just one call away. Anywhere. Anytime.
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