IRIDIUM OPENPORT® PROVIDES ROBUST AND RELIABLE COMMUNICATION LINKS FOR UCAR CAP ODYSSÉE CHALLENGE

BETHESDA, Md., U.S. and PARIS – October 26, 2009 – Iridium OpenPort®, the new-generation maritime high bandwidth satellite communication service from Iridium Satellite LLC (Iridium), won rave reviews from the participants in the recently completed Cap Odyssée Challenge.

“We were very pleased with the performance and capabilities of the Iridium OpenPort system, which served as our primary communication link during the voyage,” said Yves Parlier, who skippered the support vessel for the North Atlantic crossing.

Iridium and SeaMobile Europe teamed with Thales Alenia Space to provide Iridium OpenPort equipment and services for the support vessel accompanying the UCAR Cap Odyssée Challenge, which concluded August 27 when three young French women successfully became the first to cross the North Atlantic Ocean on paddleboards.

SeaMobile also provided its unique ClipWay® software package, which permitted the crew to compress and transmit photos and video files from the boat through the Iridium OpenPort terminal.

“The voice quality was excellent, and SeaMobile’s ClipWay software made it very easy for us to send video and photos through the satellites using the 128 kbps datalink,” said Parlier.

The three young women – Stéphanie Geyer-Barneix, Alexandra Lux and Flora Manciet – departed from Cape Breton, Canada, on July 5, and arrived at Capbreton, France, 54 days later. Paddling in relays, they averaged some 100 kilometers per day.

“Thanks to Iridium, SeaMobile and Thales Alenia Space, we were able to sustain our enthusiasm and overcome our weariness by phoning friends and families and reading daily encouraging e-mails from our many supporters in Canada and France,” the three paddleboard competitors said. “This played an important role in the successful completion of our beautiful and exciting adventure.”

“The UCAR Cap Odyssée Challenge provided an excellent showcase for our new high-bandwidth Iridium OpenPort technology, which was introduced last year to meet the increasing demand for cost-effective high-capacity voice and data communications for ships and boats at sea,” said Don Thoma, executive vice president of marketing, Iridium. “It provides three independent phone circuits and a separate scalable, high-speed data port, all of which can be used simultaneously without interference. The compact lightweight antenna, which has no moving parts, installs quickly and easily on vessels of all sizes.”

“We were very pleased to work with Iridium and SeaMobile Europe to provide the latest in marine satellite communications technology for this record-setting expedition,” said Marjorie Thary, satcom systems architect, Thales Alenia Space. “The Iridium OpenPort system made it possible for the crew to send daily reports from the boat and to obtain weather forecasts along their route, an important consideration for the safety of the paddleboarders.”

“We salute these three brave young women for their dramatic achievement as the first to paddleboard across the North Atlantic Ocean, and we are pleased to welcome them home safe and sound,” said Juliette Warter, marketing director for SeaMobile Europe. “We are delighted that we were able to play a part in their success.”

About Iridium Satellite LLC

Iridium Satellite LLC (www.iridium.com) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering pole-to-pole coverage over the entire globe. The Iridium constellation of low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites provides critical voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks. Iridium’s subscriber growth has been driven by increasing demand for reliable, secure, global communications. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of hundreds of distributors, and provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense, and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company’s customers represent a broad spectrum of industry, including maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT, which will result in continued and new Iridium MSS offerings. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., U.S., and is currently privately held.

About SeaMobile Europe

For nearly 20 years, SeaMobile Europe has been a pioneer in providing global satellite communication services. As a preferred partner of the world’s leading satellite networks and a key Iridium distributor, the company provides services ranging from simple voice communication to the setup of complete IP networks. With combined professional applications, communication methods become optimized, reliable, and cost effective. SeaMobile Europe, formerly Geolink, is part of SeaMobile Enterprises Group, based in Seattle and Miami (U.S.). SeaMobile Europe is the dominant global service provider of communications, connectivity and content services in remote locations at sea and on land. For more information, visit www.seamobile.com.

About Thales Alenia Space

A European leader in satellite systems and a major player in orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67 percent) and Finmeccanica (33 percent). Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio embody the two groups’ “Space Alliance.” Thales Alenia Space sets the global standard in solutions for space telecoms, radar and optical Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and science. The company has a total of 7,200 employees and 11 industrial sites, with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium. For more information, visit www.thalesaleniaspace.com.