Week in Space Data, every Friday.
Iridium Communications, trading as IRDM, operates a 66-satellite LEO constellation delivering voice, data, and IoT connectivity worldwide, including polar regions.
IRDMACTIVEGlobal mobile satellite communications provider operating a 66-satellite LEO constellation providing voice, data, and IoT services worldwide including polar regions.
Global mobile satellite communications provider operating a 66-satellite LEO constellation providing voice, data, and IoT services worldwide including polar regions.
Rank 25 of 105 ranked companies
6 of 7 inputs measured · High confidence · 100% of applicable weight backed by data
Not measured: Open-role change (90 days)
A pillar score averages the company’s percentiles among the tracked companies with a value: relative standing, not a grade. Inputs measured 2026-11-11 (UTC) · methodology v8. Every input, its value and percentile · How it is computed
The Space Score ranks companies relative to each other on public data we hold. It describes; it does not rate, forecast or recommend. It is not a credit rating and not investment advice. Full disclaimer
1676 International Drive, Suite 1100, McLean, Virginia 22102
Sources: Founded, Headquarters, CEO, Employees, Legal name
For information only, not investment advice. SpaceNexus is not a registered investment adviser, broker or dealer, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Data may be delayed, estimated or incomplete; check the source before acting. Full disclaimer
No private round on record before Sep 2009. IPO, offerings, debt and unconverted notes are listed under Funding history by class and not added in.
Checking for a discussion…
Compiled Nov 11, 2026 from 6 public records. Every figure links the record it comes from. Facts only: nothing here is a rating, a forecast or a recommendation.
Space federal awards
1 award, $484.6M obligated
Awards with activity since Oct 1, 2018, as searched Sep 24, 2026. Awarded Oct 18, 2013 to Oct 18, 2013; most from DoD (1 award)
Counts awards the government's own product code or programme title marks as space work, or the space research industry code; the satellite-telecoms industry code counts only together with a space agency, office or a space word in the award's own description. Obligated dollars, not ceilings; umbrella contracts (IDVs) are left out because their orders are counted one by one. Amounts as USAspending reported them on Sep 24, 2026.
Source: USAspending.gov recipient profile (all awards, not only space)
Latest award Oct 18, 2013
Latest space award
$484.6M from DoD
SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SERVICES
Source: USAspending.gov award record
Awarded Oct 18, 2013
SEC filings, last 12 months
166 filings
Including 4 periodic reports and 15 current reports
Source: SEC EDGAR company filings
Latest Oct 26, 2026
Satellites owned or operated
80 in orbit of 87 launched
Latest: Iridium Next SV181
Payloads GCAT lists with this organisation as owner or operator. "In orbit" is GCAT status O. Counted under GCAT organisation code IRIDS. Catalogue updated Sep 24, 2026.
Source: GCAT satellite catalogue
Latest launch May 20, 2023
Department of Defense
1 space award, $484.6M obligated
USAspending.gov award record, Oct 18, 2013
Northrop Grumman Civil Sats. and Nat. Security Systems
Built 25 of its satellites (latest Iridium Next SV181)
GCAT satellite catalogue, May 20, 2023
Orbital ATK Civil Sats. and Nat. Security Systems
Built 55 of its satellites (latest Iridium Next SV161)
Satellite data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0.
APA
SpaceNexus. (2026, November 11). Iridium Communications: Company dossier [Data set]. Retrieved November 11, 2026, from https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/iridium-communications
Chicago
SpaceNexus. "Iridium Communications: Company dossier." Data as of November 11, 2026. Accessed November 11, 2026. https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/iridium-communications.
BibTeX
@misc{spacenexus_iridiumcommunications_2026,
author = {{SpaceNexus}},
title = {{Iridium Communications}: Company dossier},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
howpublished = {\url{https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/iridium-communications}},
url = {https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/iridium-communications},
urldate = {2026-11-11},
note = {Data as of 2026-11-11; each fact links its primary source}
}Motorola Satellite Communications
Built 7 of its satellites (latest Iridium 97)
GCAT satellite catalogue, Jun 20, 2002
Estimated: around Thu, Feb 11, 2027 (not announced by the company) · period ending December 2026
Estimated from the company's own SEC filings: it reported the same period a year earlier on Thu, Feb 12, 2026. The company has not announced this date.
Results filed Tue, Oct 20, 2026, before the market opened · period ending September 2026
Share move in the first session after the results (Oct 20, 2026): -0.54%
Results filing (SEC) (opens in a new tab) · Press release (opens in a new tab)
Quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly report (10-Q) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Quarterly or annual results
8-K items: 2.02 Quarterly or annual results · 9.01 Documents attached
Current report (8-K) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Press release (EX-99.1) (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Shareholder vote results; Other event the company chose to report
8-K items: 5.07 Shareholder vote results · 8.01 Other event the company chose to report · 9.01 Documents attached
Current report (8-K) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Merger or acquisition communication (425)
Merger or acquisition communication (425) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Other event the company chose to report
Current report (8-K) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Merger or acquisition communication (425)
Merger or acquisition communication (425) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)