Iridium has confirmed that it has completed its acquisition of Satelles, a provider of satellite-based time and location services that will allow Iridium to add new services complementing GPS and other GNSS systems.
The Satelles business will become Iridium Satellite Time and Location (STL), joining the Iridium portfolio and available for direct integration by the company’s ecosystem of approximately 500 partners around the world. The closing of the transaction marks the first acquisition of another company in Iridium’s history.
Iridium STL can be used to secure GPS and other GNSS-reliant systems’ time-synchronised applications from vulnerabilities like spoofing and jamming, using small hardware that doesn’t require outdoor antennas.
“The initial feedback we’ve gotten from partners in the short time since the initial announcement has made us even more excited about Iridium STL’s potential. We’re ready to step on the gas and expand the availability of Iridium STL to markets around the world,” said Iridium CEO, Matt Desch.
“With our experienced partner ecosystem and global footprint, this needed capability can quickly help make the critical services we all rely on every day more efficient, reliable and secure.”
Enabled by the Iridium satellite constellation’s crosslinked LEO architecture, Iridium STL delivers time and location signals that work indoors and can continue to operate during regional GNSS system outages. Iridium anticipates the Iridium STL line of business will generate over $100 million in service revenue per year by 2030, with additional revenue from equipment and engineering.
