Thales Alenia Space, the satellite prime contractor, awarded EMS a contract to provide the fast switch matrix (FSM) for the Iridium NEXT payload. The Iridium NEXT launch is expected to begin in 2015. Upon completion of the project, Iridium NEXT will support L-band data speeds of 1.5 Mbps or 11 times faster than the current network, with global coverage (including regions not served by geostationary satellites) and a capacity of up to three million subscribers.

EMS’s heritage with fast switch matrix systems, as well as its ability to meet the demands of performance requirements, put the company in a leading position to provide equipment on the satellite. Additionally, EMS’s approach to manufacturing the FSM improves upon the previous constellation and will support Iridium’s critical hardware delivery schedules in order to meet its aggressive launch timetable.

EMS is leveraging its technological strengths in commercial airborne product design, its considerable space experience from Iridium’s current network and previous work with Thales on Intelsat IX, to deliver signal routing hardware that is critical to Iridium’s next-generation system. EMS’s extensive knowledge of the function of the transmit/receive modules on the main mission antenna will also help to optimize the performance of the fast switch matrices within the communications system architecture. First deliveries of the hardware are scheduled to begin in 2012.

“We are pleased to have the confidence and trust of Thales Alenia Space,” said Neil Mackay, president and CEO of EMS Technologies, Inc. “It is evidence of our continued strength in airborne and space technologies and it also complements our strategic initiative to pursue higher volume, more commercial-oriented opportunities within our Defense & Space business.”

“Iridium has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with EMS as a technology partner and reseller of Iridium to its aviation customers. We’re pleased to extend that relationship with their selection by Thales Alenia Space as the FSM supplier for our next-generation satellites,” said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. “We value their innovative approaches and look forward to their continued collaborative efforts toward new and exciting applications around our network, both today, and with Iridium NEXT.”