Rocket Lab is buying Iridium’s satellite network for $8 billion to take on SpaceX

Rocket Lab’s Electron motorboat conveyance lifting disconnected from its motorboat analyzable successful New Zealand. | Image: RocketLab

Rocket Lab, the abstraction institution champion known for its small outer launcher Electron, has announced plans to acquire Iridium Communications for $8 billion. The woody volition harvester Rocket Lab's motorboat services and spacecraft manufacturing with Iridium's satellite-based communications network, putting it successful a amended presumption to situation SpaceX.

Iridium offers communications services to implicit 2.5 cardinal subscribers astir the globe. Its users pat into Iridium's constellation of 66 low-Earth orbit satellites and L-band spectrum to support interaction with radical connected ships, aircraft, and successful different distant locations. Iridium partnered with SpaceX to launc …

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