Iridium Develops the Smallest Voice & Data Module
Iridium Satellite Communications brings the smallest voice and data module ever available with its new Iridium core 9523 transceiver. The Iridium Core 9523 transceiver brings the company’s Iridium ForceSM vision vital building blocks to partners who develop innovative, portable communications devices. Twenty-six Iridium development partners, including FLYHT, SkyTrac Systems and Fastwave Communications, have been working with the Company to design Iridium Core 9523-based voice and data communications devices.
Iridium satellite communications provides the world’s largest satellite communications network of 66 satellites that encompass the earth. This enables the Iridium Core 9523 to deliver voice and data service everywhere on the planet through the smallest and lightest voice and data global transceiver ever available. The transceiver is smaller than a credit card, and this compact module transceiver is used by the new Iridium Extreme handheld satellite phone, which is the most rugged satellite phone in the market.
The Iridium Core 9523 reduces the cost and size of building communication devices around the embedded global satellite communications technology. This transceiver will be the building block for partners to create new satellite communication products that provide global voice and data connectivity.
“The Iridium Core 9523 adds a new level of sophistication never before available in terms of satellite communications technology in handheld devices,” said Joel Thompson, vice president, and product management of Iridium. “Due to increased demand for global connectivity, advanced functionality and smaller devices, development partners increasingly come to Iridium seeking more compact and cost-effective solutions. Since cellular networks cover less than 10 percent of the planet, they know only Iridium provides the global reach their customers demand. We designed the Iridium Core 9523 not only to shrink the size of the Iridium Extreme transceiver, but also to enable smaller and lighter products from our partners.”
In addition to being the smallest transceiver ever produced, Iridium Core 9523-based devices will have many other advantages over other satellite technologies. The advantages include devices that will provide the only full global coverage available; they will be able to use smaller and lighter antennas, and higher speed data and lower data latency.
Iridium designed the Iridium Core 9523 to be simple to integrate into other products. The Iridium Core 9523 is 90 percent smaller than its older generation transceiver. This smaller transceiver allows it to be easily integrated into existing PCB designs, allowing designers to mount it right onto their product application boards to share components and power.
Bill Tempany, president and CEO of AeroMechanical Services Ltd., an Iridium development partner marketed under the FLYHT brand, said, "The Iridium Core 9523, with its reduced power requirements, lighter weight and smaller size, is ideal for the AFIRS 228S, our global communications system for aircrafts. These factors are key design features in FLYHT’s commitment to providing a highly efficient, light and robust solution to the aviation industry.”
FLYHT with the Iridium Core 9523 is able to provide aircraft crew with reliable voice and data services through Iridium's 66 satellite constellations.
SkyTrac Systems has partnered with EuroAvionics GmbH & Co. to develop a flight following and satcom module using the Iridium Core 9523 that will be included within the EuroAvionics EuroNav 7 Situational Awareness System. SkyTrac is developing a new "ISAT" system using the Iridium Core 9523. The ISAT-200A is an enhanced flight following and satellite communications system that provides multiple connections to various systems, an embedded accelerometer, and a hardened memory module for cockpit voice recording and aircraft data collection.