…has completed the satellite preliminary design review phase of the program which includes the preliminary design and specifications for all elements of the satellite system—payload, main mission antenna, feeder links and cross links.
“The foundation for Iridium NEXT satellite design is complete,” said Scott Smith, executive vice president, Iridium NEXT. “By successfully finalizing the first phase of the program design process, our engineers and partners, under the direction of our prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, have now begun the detailed design phase, which includes building prototype hardware of all elements, including satellites, antennas and ground infrastructure. We have an amazing, innovative group of partners—the Iridium NEXT Mission Team, as we call it— and we are confident in the tremendous progress we have made on the world’s most significant commercial space program. Iridium NEXT is on track to further Iridium’s position as a vital player in the global communications infrastructure. Our organization and its ecosystem of partners around the world are very excited about the influence this tremendous, next-generation network will have on continuing to connect organizations and people in ways never before thought possible.”
By completing the preliminary design phase of Iridium NEXT satellites, Iridium and its partners will now begin constructing engineering model units that will be used to verify the design and performance of the system prior to full construction start in 2013. Iridium expects to complete its constellation (Space Segment) Critical Design Review Phase in early 2013. Among the prototypes under construction are the constellation’s feeder links and cross links, which will be responsible for communicating to ground stations and between satellites, respectively. Payload and main mission antennas will also be built and tested to ensure reliability, resilience and compatibility. Iridium Communications company information link
The following time line outlines plans for the future critical milestones in the evolution of the Iridium NEXT constellation:
- 2012: Detailed hardware and software design culminating in the Space Segment Critical Design Review (CDR) in early 2013
- 2013: Initial space and launch vehicle hardware production and extensive performance testing to ensure it meets its requirements
- 2014: Satellite and launcher/dispenser level qualification testing and the initiation of satellite low-rate production in preparation for the first launch
- 2015: First year of launching and integrating Iridium NEXT satellite vehicles into the Iridium® constellation; transition to full-rate production
- 2016: Second year of launching and integrating the Iridium NEXT satellite vehicles
- 2017: Planned complete constellation replacement with Iridium NEXT fully operational
