# Who does Iridium Communications pay? Who are its key suppliers?
Canonical: https://valuechain.wiki/iridium · Facet: suppliers · Updated: 2026-07-12T04:02:30.988+00:00 · Source: ValueChain.wiki (cited money-flow graph)

**Citable summary**: Iridium Communications's confirmed suppliers/cost counterparties include SpaceX, Thales Alenia Space. Per the valuechain.wiki graph: 2 cost edges, backed by 5 dated sources, 2 of them primary filings (as of 2026-07-12).

### SpaceX (high)  → /spacex.md
- metric: Contract value $492M · 2010~2019 (8회 발사) · Iridium NEXT Falcon 9 launch contract
- note: Iridium contracted SpaceX in June 2010 for a $492M commercial launch deal, the largest single commercial launch contract at the time, to deploy the Iridium NEXT constellation on Falcon 9; launches ran 2017–2019 (eight launches).
- [confirms] SpaceNews (EN, news, published 2019-01-11) https://spacenews.com/spacex-completes-iridium-next-constellation/: "SpaceX launched the final batch of Iridium Next satellites, completing an eight-launch, $492 million campaign that began in January 2017 to replace Iridium's first-generation constellation."
- [confirms] U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC EDGAR) (EN, filing, published 2010-06-16) https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418819/000119312510140098/dex991.htm: "The $492 million contract, while being the largest single commercial launch deal ever signed, nonetheless represents a new benchmark in cost-effective satellite delivery to space... SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle will carry multiple Iridium NEXT satellites per vehicle, inserting the satellites into a low-earth orbit (LEO)."

### Thales Alenia Space (high)  → /thales.md
- metric: Contract value $2.1B · 2010~2019 · Iridium NEXT 81-satellite fixed-price prime contract
- note: In June 2010 Iridium selected Thales Alenia Space as Iridium NEXT prime contractor under a ~$2.1B fixed-price contract to design, integrate and build 81 satellites (66 operational + 6 in-orbit + 9 ground spares); French ECA guaranteed most of a $1.8B credit facility.
- [confirms] Thales Alenia Space (EN, ir, published 2018-07-25) https://www.thalesaleniaspace.com/en/press-releases/iridium-next-constellation-66-operational-satellites-will-make-history: "Thales Alenia Space, the system prime contractor for Iridium NEXT, handles engineering, integration and in-orbit validation of all 81 satellites (66 operational plus 15 spares)."
- [confirms] U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC EDGAR) (EN, filing, published 2010-06-02) https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418819/000095013010003021/dex991.htm: "Iridium Selects Thales Alenia Space to Design and Construct Satellites for Iridium NEXT... As the prime contractor for Iridium NEXT, Thales Alenia Space is the undisputed leader in the design and manufacture of commercial low-earth orbiting (LEO) satellite communications systems."
- [confirms] SpaceNews (EN, news, published 2010-06-02) https://spacenews.com/iridium-selects-thales-alenia-build-iridium%E2%80%82next-constellation/: "Iridium selected Thales Alenia Space to build its second-generation constellation in a $2.1 billion fixed-price contract... bringing the total number of satellites to be constructed to 81."

Reverse side: https://valuechain.wiki/iridium/customers.md · Ripple: https://valuechain.wiki/iridium/ripple.md

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Full node: https://valuechain.wiki/iridium.md · JSON: https://valuechain.wiki/iridium.json