Bringing Iridium Certus to life was an enormous project for the Iridium team; one that touched nearly all employees and contractors! Last week, we shared the first of a three-part video series taking you behind the scenes in the making of Iridium Certus. This week, some of the key people involved in the development of this groundbreaking service discuss the hardware and supporting systems that make Iridium Certus work.
Earlier this month, we announced the commercial service introduction of Iridium Certus, the world’s first truly global broadband service enabled by the $3 billion Iridium® NEXT satellite replacement program. Now commercially available, Iridium Certus is a unique platform designed for the development of specialty applications and is the world’s only truly global broadband service, offering on-the-move internet and high-quality voice access. The service enables mobile office functionality for deployed teams and two-way remote communication for assets, autonomous vehicles, trains, aircraft and ships at sea.
Guest Blogger: Dan Rooney, Director of Maritime Business
Since humans learned to master the oceans, we have always sought to perfect our sea-going vessels. Each generation improved the method used for motion, be it via sail, engine or electric propulsion. In our modern world, technology touches almost every element of our lives, which also affects the maritime world. A large modern commercial ship has a staggering amount of machinery and electronics systems on-board, each with different maintenance and monitoring requirements. If these systems are not monitored and maintained, not only do they become a safety risk, but their efficiency decreases: thus the cost of operating them increases. Ship management costs have steadily increased year over year; conversely, chartering rates for vessels continue to be extremely volatile.
Naturally, ship owners and managers turn towards technology to reduce costs, improve efficiency and make vessels smarter. One high-profile target for reducing costs is fuel consumption. Fuel for a ship can be up to 60% of its annual operating costs, and even a single digit reduction can be significant. Cost reductions can be achieved by monitoring fuel consumption, with the usage data recorded on board and fed back to big-data systems ashore. The performance of a vessel over time can be modelled against its ‘digital-twin’, providing alerts to vessel performance analysts if anomalies are detected. In short, it provides advance notification that the ship’s performance is not optimal, potentially leading to increased costs or failed equipment and cutting that thin line of profit even thinner. Having an optimised communications solution becomes the artery for the transfer of performance data ashore, allowing operators to implement solutions and providing a tangible return on investment especially when combined with Vessel Performance Optimisation (VPO) systems.
Moving away from the Engine Room, maritime electronics and machinery manufacturers have provided network connectivity options for their equipment for several years. This connectivity delivers operational and performance data to both engineers on board and VPO systems ashore. This new model of connecting vessels goes beyond the traditional business and crew IT networks, allowing for Operational Technology (OT) equipment to be connected. For example, shipping containers can now be tracked and their contents monitored. Cargo inside a hold can be remotely monitored, ensuring that the conditions inside are optimal. Providing remote access to cargo/container monitoring systems can reduce a charterer’s claims for damaged cargoes. This in turn can lead to a reduction in insurance costs for a ship.
The concept of the ‘Connected Ship’ is now a reality, but how can Iridium Certus provide greater value? A reliable satellite connection that operates globally is the key to delivering performance or cargo monitoring data on time. Iridium Certus provides dependable global performance at speeds debuting at 352 kbps, with expected upgrades of up to 704 kbps later in 2019. VSAT equipped vessels can suffer with slow data rates, due to high demand from crew users. Our Iridium Certus companion service can mitigate these constraints, delivering performance and cargo data alongside the primary VSAT terminal and allowing a ship’s critical business to continue 24/7.
The Iridium Connected Ship concept enables the OT revolution on-board a vessel, delivering connectivity either as a primary satellite system (Iridium Certus for primary communications); or as part of a hybrid communications system (Iridium Certus as VSAT Companion).
Last week, we announced the commercial service introduction of Iridium Certus, the world’s first truly global broadband service enabled by the $3 billion Iridium® NEXT satellite replacement program. With a portfolio of ever-expanding voice and data services, Iridium Certus allows enterprises, governments, and individuals to connect with greater value and greater reach than any other mobile wireless network.
Bringing Iridium Certus to life was an enormous project for the Iridium team; one that touched nearly all employees and contractors! We brought together some of the key people involved in the development of Iridium Certus for a roundtable discussion of the origins of the program, the capabilities and enabling hardware for the service, and what Iridium Certus means for our Partners and end users.
Join us over the next few weeks for a three-part video series taking you behind the scenes in the making of Iridium Certus.
Now commercially available, Iridium Certus is a unique platform designed for the development of specialty applications and is the world’s only truly global broadband service, offering on-the-move internet and high-quality voice access. The service enables mobile office functionality for deployed teams and two-way remote communication for assets, autonomous vehicles, trains, aircraft and ships at sea.
A symbol of endurance, change, hope and life, the butterfly is a physical representation of transformation. Iridium is about to complete its own technological and financial transformation with its Iridium NEXT program on the cusp of completion. Enabling new services and technologies, like Iridium CertusSM broadband and Aireon’s global aircraft surveillance system, a new era of mobile satellite communications begins; an era where truly global connectivity, reliability and mobility reach unprecedented heights.
Every detail of this patch represents something special to Iridium. The graphic above outlines each aspect and hidden meaning of our final launch patch. Enjoy!
Iridium Communications, in partnership with SpaceX, is prepared to launch the final 10 Iridium® NEXT satellites tomorrow, January 11th. SpaceX will launch the eighth set of new satellites on a flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket destined for low Earth orbit. The payload and the rocket have been transported to the launch pad, and the rocket is vertical for launch. The rocket has an instantaneous launch window scheduled for 7:31 am PST (15:31 UTC).
Iridium NEXT is the company’s $3 billion, next-generation, mobile, global satellite network scheduled for completion in early 2019. These new satellites are replacing the company’s existing global constellation in one of the largest technology upgrades ever completed in space. It represents the evolution of critical communications infrastructure that governments and organizations worldwide rely upon to drive business, enable connectivity, empower disaster relief efforts and more. Iridium NEXT will enable and introduce new services like the company’s next-generation broadband service, Iridium CertusSM, and hosts the AireonSM real-time aircraft surveillance and tracking service.
Want to watch the launch live? Tune into the SpaceX webcast at www.spacex.com/webcast for a live feed of Iridium-8 starting 15 minutes prior to liftoff! And don’t forget to follow along with our Ultimate Launch Soundtrack on Spotify!
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.
It’s the grand finale. The final flight of our epic eight launch program with SpaceX is fast approaching. For our seventh launch we introduced a first-of-its-kind soundtrack curated to either stay “in theme” with events taking place during the SpaceX webcast, serve as a tribute or be somehow related to the Iridium story.
For this edition, we opened up song suggestions to everyone and… WOW did we get walloped. You guys are smart, funny and honestly, a little weird… but hey, we like weird! It was impossible to get everyone’s suggestions in to this mix, but we did take a few of the most popular requests AND we fully intend to issue a “Just Missed the Cut” playlist after launch.
As we mentioned last time, one of our goals for the soundtrack is to ensure it’s a fairly-diverse array of music and has something for all listeners. We think we’ve struck that balance once again and hope you enjoy it!
And, on launch day, make sure to pay attention to our Twitter account (@Iridiumcomm), where we’ll be tweeting out updates and a quick bit about why each song was chosen.
For the first timers – here’s how it works:
Iridium has created a launch soundtrack on Spotify. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you join the fun.
Step 1: Search for the Iridium Communications Inc. account on Spotify, and make sure it’s the one that’s verified! Or you can click this link to directly access the playlist.
Step 2: Select the Iridium-8 Launch Soundtrack from the playlists section. You should now see all the songs in order.
Step 3: Next, open your web browser and visit http://www.spacex.com/webcast about 15-20 minutes before launch, so at around 7:10 AM PST, which is 10:10 AM EST (15:10 UTC). Launch is scheduled for 7:31 AM PST (15:31 UTC).
Step 4: Once the SpaceX webcast begins, find the timer in the top right corner of the screen that shows a countdown to launch.
Step 5: When the countdown timer reaches 12 minutes and 55 seconds, press play on the first song of the playlist, and then just let it play. (We recommend keeping the volume low enough to hear the host clearly!)
Step 5A: If you joined the show late, or had to pause the playlist, have no fear. We will be live tweeting at what point on the timer (that same one in the top right corner), each new song will start, giving you an opportunity to get back in the game! For example, you may see a tweet like this:
“To catch up with the soundtrack, press play on Iridium-8 Launch Soundtrack Song – [SONG NAME] at T+12 minutes 32 seconds @Spotify #Iridium7”
After that, there’s nothing left to do but watch, listen and enjoy. And yes, everything that happens; the timing, the words, the irony — has all been specifically designed to create a unique viewing and listening experience.
Warning: This will only work seamlessly for Spotify Premium users.
But, we’ve got you covered – The playlist is included at the bottom of this post so everyone without Spotify Premium can build the list themselves. We just ask that you pay close attention to song lengths and versions, to make sure things line up as accurately as possible!
How we picked the songs for Iridium-8:
Creating the soundtrack is fun, but it’s also pretty tough. The criteria from the first time we did this, for Iridium-7, ended up requiring a few tweaks. Below you’ll find that newer criteria. They include:
Avoid profanity, explicit lyrics or graphic language
Avoid the same songs and the same band/artist (not inclusive of “feats.”)
Allow one exception to “avoid the same songs” rule (c’mon, you can probably guess what this one is for!)
Avoid clichés (i.e., Rocketman – sorry)
Allow one exception to “avoid clichés” rule
Relate to either what is being viewed on screen, the “Iridium story” or our business
Matt picked it (our CEO, aka @Iridiumboss – unlike last time, this time he knows we mean business!)
Was overwhelmingly suggested externally and doesn’t break other rules
Represents a broad/diverse array of music/artists/bands
Serves as an ode to a relevant person, place or event
Represents some level of irony if they don’t fit in the other categories
We hope you’re ready to have some fun with us on this last launch “hurrah”, at least for our foreseeable future. Don’t be a stranger.
Guest Blogger: Dan Rooney, Director of Maritime Business
Data consumption rates for VSAT vessels have dramatically increased over the past few years. The new norm is driven primarily by crew connectivity, and it can total 70GB on a ship each month over a VSAT, whilst ship’s business traffic is in the minority. However, not all ships have the Compass Deck space for a VSAT antenna, let alone the communications budget.
It is necessary to understand the specific business factors that may drive a ship owner or operator’s need for more data. As ships become more connected to the ever-evolving digital world, an increasing amount of applications and services consuming more data are being installed on-board. Cyber-security or eNavigation are prime examples of this. A cyber-security framework is only as effective as its most recent update, and an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) terminal is only as effective as the last chart update. Updates for these services can be large, quickly consuming a smaller L-band plan creating overage and a subsequent bill shock. An unlimited VSAT pipe for a ship may either not be economically feasible or limited by deck space, but Iridium CertusSM delivers higher speeds via L-band. This can enable the digital world on-board with a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to VSAT.
Crew connectivity is rapidly becoming a primary driver for greater connectivity on the high seas. Ship management companies are highly motivated to retain skilled crew members, who expect to communicate with friends and family via social media – wherever the ship is sailing. Whilst VSAT may not be applicable for all ships, Iridium Certus can deliver larger data volume plans allowing crew usage. Many of Iridium’s Service Partners have developed mobile applications enabling common chat applications to operate over our network. Ship management companies can choose to offer unused data to crew members, enabling social connectivity via optimised applications. Remember, connected crew members are happier crew members!
Iridium Certus is a game changer for the maritime world, enabling critical business applications to connect anywhere in the world. As mentioned in the Big Data, Big Pipes post, optimising IoT data transmissions can reduce the need to increase the bandwidth. Remember, Iridium Certus delivers more megabytes for less dollars.
A frequent complaint from captains is that despite having VSAT installed, the crew are dominating the connection, therefore interrupting ship’s business. Iridium Certus provides the ideal companion for VSAT, transferring critical business applications via its low-latency network. This is especially valid when combined with a Service Provider’s network management device, which allows crew Internet access to continue over the VSAT connection.
Guest Blogger: Fernando González Millán, Aviation Week Intern
Have you ever known that you will be very surprised to go to a place, although you do not know exactly why? Well, that’s what I felt last month when I visited the Iridium Satellite Network Operations Center (SNOC) in Leesburg, Virginia. Walt Everetts, Vice President of Satellite Operations was my guide, and he was an incredible and extremely accessible person.
I must confess that upon arriving at the Iridium facility, I noticed an air of tranquility. I also got that feeling that I mentioned; that is, not every day do you have the opportunity to visit a company like Iridium – and even more, having the VP of Operations as a guide!
I did not know exactly what to expect, but I knew the popularity that Iridium has and the reputation of their company; and to be honest, it was the first time I was able to visit such an important company. When I arrived, I met Walt, a big and tall man with an attitude of total patience, but still, walking fast and precise, like his words.
The first thing was to go to the meeting room where the people who made the decisions were. They were evaluating options on how best to correct an issue they were experiencing with an antenna. It was very exciting because I was in the middle of a meeting of important decisions! After that, Walt took me to another room where we formally introduced ourselves and he gave me an overview of the company. He then told me that he would introduce me to various Iridium employees so that I could know learn more about what happens in the SNOC.
During my visit, I can say that I learned the depths of the SNOC. I could see the change that was being made from the first-generation servers to the new servers for Iridium NEXT – that is, the brain of the Iridium satellite network. I met the team supervising the orbits of each Iridium satellite, making sure that the satellites do not leave their established orbits and do not collide with each other when they reach their maximum proximity crossing routes at the poles. I even visited the engineering offices, where everything related to the operation of each of the satellites is managed and programmed, and the information they process helps to generate efficiency forecasts and solve possible problems before they occur.
What really shocked me, however, was the Command Center. For a moment, I really felt like I was in the NASA Control Center…and it was spectacular! It was here that my sense of wonder became happiness, well exceeding my expectations of this great place because, as Aeronautical Engineer, this is what I studied and for what I have prepared. It was like a beautiful and incredible gift that Iridium gave me.
I cannot leave out of this reflection the fact that every person I met was happy…really happy, proud, and delighted with the work that everyone did, coupled with the fact that they were obviously extremely intelligent and well-trained). I could also perceive that each team was extremely harmonious, even throughout several challenges during the day, all of an important magnitude. When working as a well-communicated team, there were no shocks or shouts, only assertive cooperation that in the end, managed to solve each problem properly and effectively.
Last, but not least, I will never forget the principle under which everyone works (as each one of them told me):
“We work so that our clients are always connected.”
This may sound simple, but it is very powerful. Under that precept, the whole Iridium SNOC team worked as a strong and efficient unit, so now I know the reason why they are leaders in their field: for their facilities, technology, and development – but above all, for its incredible people.
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Guest Blogger: Dan Rooney, Director of Maritime Business
Moving away from the Engine Room, maritime electronics and machinery manufacturers have provided network connectivity options for their equipment for several years. This connectivity delivers operational and performance data to both engineers on board and VPO systems ashore. This new model of connecting vessels goes beyond the traditional business and crew IT networks, allowing for Operational Technology (OT) equipment to be connected. For example, shipping containers can now be tracked and their contents monitored. Cargo inside a hold can be remotely monitored, ensuring that the conditions inside are optimal. Providing remote access to cargo/container monitoring systems can reduce a charterer’s claims for damaged cargoes. This in turn can lead to a reduction in insurance costs for a ship.
Guest Blogger: Fernando González Millán, Aviation Week Intern