Iridium’s Satellite Network Operations Center. Photo: Iridium

[Via Satellite 07-21-2014] Following the completed manufacturing of the first five main mission antennas (MMAs) for Iridium NEXT, Iridium has tasked Thales Alenia Space with ramping up production for the rest of the constellation. Thales Alenia Space is responsible for building 81 MMAs, which will provide one for all 66 satellites as well as the nine in-orbit spares and six ground-spares.

The MMAs manage data between satellites and Iridium customer devices. Each antenna is built with 168 transmit and receive modules, a transmit and control unit, and a beam-forming network. Thales Alenia Space VP for the Iridium NEXT Project, Denis Allard, said the antennas will undergo further testing to ensure reliability. Once in orbit, each antenna will use 48 spot beams to collectively cover an area approximately the size of the United States.