Gregory Pelton

Chief Technical Officer, Iridium

Search every verified Gregory Pelton interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Gregory Pelton, Chief Technology Officer at Iridium, discussed the company's recent achievements and technology roadmap in a December 2025 webcast. He noted that Iridium received two MSUA Mobile Satellite Innovation Awards in 2025, for the Certus Module and Development Kit in the Industrial IoT category and for Certus GMDSS in the Maritime category. Pelton described Iridium's work on a new service called NTN Direct, stating that the company has uploaded new software to its software-defined satellites and is conducting on-air testing, with the intent to be in service the following year. He characterized Iridium's existing in-orbit satellites, global spectrum licenses, and software-defined architecture as advantages over competitors who would need to invest billions in new spacecraft and spectrum. Pelton also discussed Iridium's broader strategy, emphasizing the company's focus on mission-critical and safety-of-life applications rather than broadband. He described a project to enable standard cellular devices to connect to Iridium's satellite network, calling it a "new concept in the industry" that no one has yet done at scale. Pelton stated that Iridium's L-band spectrum and low Earth orbit constellation provide a stronger signal and lower latency compared to other systems, and that the company's PNT service is "a thousand times more powerful than GPS" and can serve as a resilient backup against jamming and spoofing. He also highlighted partnerships with mobile network operators and government customers, including a contract with the Space Development Agency.