Supplier · United States

Iridium

HQ McLeanUpdated Oct 19, 2026

Satellite communications company operating the Iridium satellite network, which provides global voice, data and PNT services; its stockholders approved an acquisition by Rocket Lab in September 2026.

Supplier Command, control and communications Positioning, navigation, timing and spectrum resilience Space, launch and counterspace +1

Government Supply

Services · Direct supplier
Global satellite voice, data and PNT services to DoD (EMSS) and other government users.
Departments
Defense
Money evidenced
Paid directly: obligations on exact recipient identifiers
Status
Evidenced (as of 2026-10-19)
Functional areas
Command, control and communications; Positioning, navigation, timing and spectrum resilience; Space, launch and counterspace
The IDIQ amount is a potential value, not obligations. Observed baseline contract obligations on exact UEIs (summary generation 20261018T193655Z, source data through 2026-10-06; gross positive, by awarding department): DOD $983,159,003 (2007-2026). Not a company-wide total.

Roles are cited research, not award totals: a payment basis names the kind of money the evidence supports, and a missing amount is unknown, not zero. Browse all government suppliers.

News3

Open in the news feed →

Jun 29, 2026NewsRocket Lab to acquire Iridium Jun 29, 2026NewsRocket Lab to buy satellite communications firm IridiumBreaking Defense May 14, 2026NewsIridium to take over Aireon to expand aviation safety business

Federal Obligations by Year (All USAspending, as Reported at the Time)

Iridium federal obligations by fiscal year
Fiscal year	Direct: contracts
FY2026	$14.2M
FY2025	$8.4M
FY2024	−$479K
FY2023	$228K
FY2022	$200K
FY2021	$626K
FY2020	$128K
FY2019	$87.6M
FY2018	$100M
FY2017	$97.3M
FY2016	$96.9M
FY2015	$79.4M
FY2014	$77.2M
FY2013	$23.9M
FY2012	$71.4M
FY2011	$77.2M
FY2010	$85.3M
FY2009	$60.9M
FY2008	$80.1M

Direct is the company's own reviewed UEIs. Reported by USAspending is subsidiaries as reported by USAspending: recipients that name this company as their parent, not yet reviewed ownership.

Recipients (UEIs) tied to this company

IRIDIUM SATELLITE LLC · HLRBBNMS1EB8 · $961M

Each action counts for the company USAspending reported on that row, so a subsidiary's dollars count for Iridium only for the period it reported Iridium as its parent. Net of de-obligations; these are obligations, not ceilings. They come from the whole USAspending baseline (every recipient size, contracts and assistance) and are a separate view from the curated contract totals on this page. Fiscal year 2027 is partial.

Capabilities3

Capabilities
Technology	Role	Maturity	TRL	Notes	Confidence
Command, control and communications	Supplier	—	—	Major-supplier coverage 2026-10-19: Global satellite voice, data and PNT services to DoD (EMSS) and other government users.	Reported
Positioning, navigation, timing and spectrum resilience	Supplier	—	—	Major-supplier coverage 2026-10-19: Global satellite voice, data and PNT services to DoD (EMSS) and other government users.	Reported
Space, launch and counterspace	Supplier	—	—	classify_sectors run 37, haiku, taxonomy 2026-10-18b: The text describes a satellite communications network providing voice, data and PNT services but states no defense or government-security use.	Reported

Command, control and communications
Supplier
Major-supplier coverage 2026-10-19: Global satellite voice, data and PNT services to DoD (EMSS) and other government users.
—Reported
Positioning, navigation, timing and spectrum resilience
Supplier
Major-supplier coverage 2026-10-19: Global satellite voice, data and PNT services to DoD (EMSS) and other government users.
—Reported
Space, launch and counterspace
Supplier
classify_sectors run 37, haiku, taxonomy 2026-10-18b: The text describes a satellite communications network providing voice, data and PNT services but states no defense or government-security use.
—Reported

Maturity and TRL describe this organization's work; the field-wide maturity is on each technology's page.

Sources6

Profile5

1
NewsIridium to take over Aireon to expand aviation safety business
May 14, 2026 · Supports Organization
“TAMPA, Fla. — Iridium Communications is buying the rest of the Aireon aircraft-tracking venture its connectivity constellation hosts to push further into aviation safety, surveillance and dat”
2
CompanyIridium Satellite Communications
Iridium · Supports Organization · website
“Iridium is the satellite network designed for mission-essential communications that you can depend on.”
3
CompanyCompany | Iridium
Iridium · Supports Organization · description
“Only Iridium delivers truly global voice, data and PNT services that keep people, vehicles, and critical systems safe and connected anywhere on Earth.”
4
CompanyInvestor Relations | Iridium
Iridium · Supports Organization · description
“Stockholder approval marks important milestone toward completion of transaction MCLEAN, Va. and LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 24, 2026”
5
Companyiridium website
Supports Organization · country, Organization · hq city
“1676 International Drive Suite 1100 McLean, VA 22102 USA”

Technologies1

6
CompanyIridium Awarded $738.5 Million US DoD Contract
Via Satellite · Sep 16, 2019 · Supports Organization technology · technology
“Iridium Communications** was awarded a $738.5 million, seven-year, fixed-price contract”

Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.