Satellite Technology Feature Article
March 08, 2010
Iridium to Cover Satellite Communications at 2010 Iditarod Sled Dog Race
By Nathesh, TMCnet Contributor
Iridium (News - Alert) Communications, a mobile satellite service, or “MSS,” company that offers coverage over the entire globe, will offer the satellite voice and data communications to the 2010 Iditarod Sled Dog Race and has forged a partnership will its service partners, SatCom (News - Alert) Global (Americas) and IonEarth to enable vital safety lifeline for mushers, dogs and volunteers.
The Iditarod trail, which snakes across more than 1,000 miles through the Alaskan wilderness from Anchorage to Nome, covers some of the world's harshest terrain. Most of the route particularly through the center of Alaska is not covered by terrestrial landlines, cellular networks or other satellite communication services.
SatCom has stated that it will install 55 Iridium satellite phones to be used by officials and volunteers at the race and the lightweight battery-powered GPS tracking device from IonEarth will help track the sled’s location speed, heading, altitude and air temperature every 15 minutes via the Iridium satellite network.
The Iditarod Web site will feature 3-D maps that will indicate each players’ latest position and status. To keep the tradition of self-sufficiency and independence in competing against each other and fighting the elements, players will not be able to access these data that are available to the trackers on the field.
Officials with the Iditarod Trail Committee, or “ITC,” have commented that Iridium is the only satellite system providing reliable coverage in all of Alaska and the Iridium tracking devices and phone handsets will again provide a critical safety lifeline for mushers, dogs, veterinarians, medics, media, bush pilots and volunteers who man the isolated checkpoints along the trail.
IonEarth has stated that this is the second year that ITC has required their satellite tracking devices as mandatory safety equipment on all sleds competing in the Iditarod. For the 2010 race, they are introducing new features, such as a 'Race at a Glance' iPhone (News - Alert) application enabling fans to follow the racers from the palms of their hands. Also new this year is a live replay capability that lets viewers turn the clock back to any point in the race.
Greg Ewert (News - Alert), executive vice president of global distribution channels for Iridium has noted that the satellite data technology employed in IonEarth's devices is also being deployed for tracking remote assets all around the world.
Teri Petram, director of sales and marketing, SatCom Global (Americas) has added that organizations and individuals who live, work and travel in Alaska have learned to rely on Iridium satellite phones as their critical communication lifeline to the outside world. Iridium is the only choice when it comes to reliable communication in the large portions of Alaska's frontier regions beyond the reach of cellular networks.
Nathesh is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Nathesh's articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Kelly McGuire
