Expert Opinion
AIN Blog: Iridium Declares Goal To ‘Own’ the Cockpit
With a narrower pipe but greater reach for voice and data than its rival Inmarsat, the Iridium satellite network is becoming increasingly relevant for airc

With a narrower pipe but greater reach for voice and data than its rival Inmarsat, the Iridium satellite network is becoming increasingly relevant for aircraft cockpits.

Iridium cleared a significant milestone this summer when the FAA endorsed its satcom service for safety-critical ATC communications, making available a lower-cost solution for future datalink messaging requirements between air and ground. The possibility that Iridium will provide real estate on its second-generation satellites for automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) receivers makes possible global tracking of aircraft and reinforces ADS-B Out performance mandates coming into play in Europe and the U.S.

Bill Carey
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