Bring Your Child to Work Day – Iridium Online Museum Scavenger Hunt
The Iridium Online Museum is a tribute to the thousands of people who have helped shape our story over the years, many of whom are still closely involved today. Development of this museum began shortly after the conclusion of the Iridium® NEXT launch program in order to highlight our company’s history dating back to the conception of the original Iridium constellation in the late 1980s. The goal of the museum is to tell the Iridium story and provide a platform for our team, Iridium alumni, partners, students, industry players, and others to learn, engage, share, and be inspired!
We hope you enjoy exploring Iridium’s rich history through 10 interactive virtual exhibits, from the early days within Motorola, through the infamous bankruptcy, to the rise of the successful global company that we are today.
Below, you will see a set of 10 clues that share fun facts found in the Iridium Online Museum. They will start off easy but – be warned – will increase in difficulty as you get closer to the end! You will be able to find the answer by going to the section of the Iridium Online Museum highlighted in bold under each clue. We hope parents and children of all ages enjoy exploring the museum together and discover something new! www.iridiummuseum.com
Clue #1:
Iridium: An Overview
The original constellation design included 77 satellites, giving our company the name “Iridium.” Later, engineers discovered only ______ satellites were needed to provide coverage to the entire planet.
Clue #2:
Iridium: An Overview
Which rocket launch company did Iridium partner with to send 75 new satellites into orbit during the Iridium NEXT launch program? ____________
Clue #3:
T-Minus 10 Years to First Launch
In the original Iridium launch campaign, satellites were produced as quickly as every ________ days.
Clue #4:
T-Minus 10 Years to First Launch
During their lifespans, the first-generation Iridium satellites completed approximately 100,000 orbits of Earth and traveled ________ miles.
Clue #5:
An Ecosystem of Excellence
After the reborn Iridium signed its first contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, _______ innovative companies partnered with Iridium as its Iridium’s first service providers.
Clue #6:
Iridium’s Next Step
Our fifth launch patch celebrates the Iridium story. What does the phoenix on the patch represent? ___________
Clue #7:
From Beepers to Broadband
Smaller and lighter than the original, this product was Iridium’s second-generation L-Band transceiver designed to easily integrate into any specific application or vertical market. ______________
Clue #8:
Iridium’s Next Step
As part of Iridium NEXT, not only were the satellites replaced but the accompanying ________ ________ (two words) was upgraded as well.
Clue #9:
Building a Sustainable Space
When replacing the NEXT generation satellites, the engineers at the SNOC initiated “slot swaps” and deorbited the legacy satellites, which took anywhere from a few ________ to a few ________ before it burned up on reentry.
Clue #10:
Iridium in the Spotlight
In 2019, which Iridium device helped keep the main character of this movie connect with her parents while traveling in search of Parapata, the lost city of gold? ____________
Answer Key:
Clue #1: 66
Clue #2: SpaceX
Clue #3: 4.3 days
Clue #4: 2.9 trillion miles
Clue #5: 13
Clue #6: Rebirth
Clue #7: Iridium 9522B L-Band Transceiver
Clue #8: ground infrastructure
Clue #9: weeks to months
Clue #10: Iridium Extreme
