Everything You Should Know About The Iridium System

The Iridium Satellite system is rapidly changing the way the world communicates. This is mainly because it is the first truly global, personal, satellite-based telecommunications system which provides communications via hand-held wireless telephones & pagers.

Iridium monitoring system can revolutionize communications for travellers, disaster relief teams, business professionals, residents of rural & undeveloped areas, and others who require such features & convenience of a wireless hand-held telephone that comes with a single worldwide number.

Let’s explore more about the world of Iridium

The Iridium Satellite Network

An Iridium satellite network comprises of three principal components which include satellite network, ground stations and satellite phones & data units. With iridium network, voice & data messages can be routed anywhere across the world. In this network, calls can be relayed from the satellite phone or data unit on to the ground to one of the Iridium satellites. Then it can then be relayed from one satellite to another then to the appropriate ground station. The call after it reaches the recipient can then be transferred to the public voice network or to the Internet.

How the Iridium System Works?

When an iridium telephone gets activated, the nearest satellite within the iridium network automatically determines the validity of the account and the location of the user. The subscriber then selects between the cellular or satellite transmission, on the basis of compatibility and system's availability, to dispatch a call.

If the local cellular system of the subscriber is unavailable, the telephone communicates directly with the overhead satellite. The call is then transferred from one satellite to another through the network to its destination.

Iridium system's space segment ensures the quality communications, which includes a constellation of 66 satellites that are located 780 kilometres above the surface of the Earth. Compared to geostationary communications satellites that are located 35,900 kilometres above the Earth, the low earth orbit of Iridium satellites enables more tightly focused beams to be projected on the ground, which provides transmissions that are clear & strong.

The iridium monitoring system is structured similar to an atom with the Earth being the nucleus and the satellites as electrons.

The receiving antenna of the system is small enough to fit on the hand-held telephone. The small, lightweight Iridium satellites are electronically interconnected which provides continuous worldwide coverage. Thus, communications can be relayed via satellite & through terrestrial gateways, where billing information & the user's location data will be stored.