Iridium satellite constellation

Have you ever looked up at the sky and see the stars at night? These stars are far away, but there are also some tiny objects in the sky called satellites. They are small objects that orbit (go around) the Earth. These satellites help people communicate with each other and help us find our way.

One group of satellites that are really important are called Iridium satellites. There are 66 Iridium satellites in space that orbit the Earth. They are called the Iridium satellite constellation.

The Iridium satellite constellation was built to make it easier for people to make phone calls or send messages no matter where they are on Earth. It helps people talk to each other even if there is no phone signal or internet connection. This is really useful if someone is lost or if there is an emergency.

So, how do these Iridium satellites work? They are like really big phones in the sky! When someone talks on their phone or sends a message, it goes up to the nearest Iridium satellite. The satellite then sends the message to another Iridium satellite, which sends it to a ground station on Earth. The message then gets delivered to the other person's phone. It sounds complicated, but it all happens really fast.

These Iridium satellites are also used for things like tracking ships at sea and airplanes in the sky. They are really important for keeping us safe and helping us communicate with each other. That's why the Iridium satellite constellation is so important!