Iridium Communications has made its next-generation 9604 hybrid module and accompanying development kit commercially available, giving device makers a single component that fuses satellite connectivity, cellular data, and global positioning for worldwide Internet-of-Things deployments. The company announced general availability on June 23, 2026.
Three Radios in One Module
The Iridium 9604 packs Iridium Short Burst Data satellite messaging, LTE-M (Cat-M1) cellular, and multi-constellation GNSS positioning into a compact 16 x 26 x 2.4 mm footprint. The module supports GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou for location data, and falls back to Iridium's 100% global L-band satellite network wherever cellular coverage runs out. That hybrid design targets logistics trackers, heavy equipment, maritime sensors, and remote industrial assets that must stay connected far beyond the reach of terrestrial towers.
Lowering the Barrier for Developers
Alongside the module, Iridium released a development kit that lets engineers prototype, test, and validate hybrid satellite-cellular-GNSS applications without stitching together separate radios and antennas. The 9604 represents the next step in Iridium's broader IoT strategy, which has been expanding from satellite-only hardware toward unified, multi-mode connectivity. The approach mirrors a wider industry shift as connectivity providers race to make off-grid IoT as simple to deploy as a cellular SIM.
Satellite IoT Heats Up
The launch comes as demand for resilient global connectivity climbs across defense, infrastructure, and earth-observation markets. The move parallels capacity expansions from direct-to-device and earth-observation players such as AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird constellation, ICEYE's SAR satellite fleet, and Open Cosmos's Atlantic Constellation, while programs like NASA's commercial satellite data effort underscore growing appetite for space-sourced data. By bundling satellite, cellular, and GNSS in one certified module, Iridium is betting that hardware integration, not raw network coverage, is now the main hurdle for scaling connected devices into the field.
Reporting based on coverage from Iridium Communications (PR Newswire) and Iridium investor relations.