MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 28, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) announces the winners of its Iridium NEXT Mission Team Scholarship program, one of the largest and most significant scholarships in the aerospace industry. Three undergraduate students have been awarded a total of $40,000 by Iridium and the Iridium NEXT Mission Team partners in an objective selection process managed by the AIAA Foundation. The first Iridium NEXT Class of Scholars are:

• Seth Gordon, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
• Monica Hew, University of Texas, Arlington, Texas
• Alexandra Long, University of Texas, Arlington, Texas

"Working together on the world's most significant commercial space program, the Iridium NEXT Mission Team brings together the foremost thought leaders in the industry," said Scott Smith, executive vice president, satellite development and operations, Iridium. "By developing the scholarship program, we intended to support and foster the kind of creativity and commitment to excellence that is prevalent amongst the Iridium NEXT Mission team, and the three recipients this year are great examples of the future of the aerospace industry. We are delighted with the opportunity to support their education and look forward to their contributions to our industry for years to come."

Created as part of Iridium's vision for the future, the Iridium NEXT Mission Team Scholarship program annually awards scholarships to the best and brightest aerospace engineering students in the world. The 2012-2013 winners were selected based on a set of academic and objective criteria including letters of recommendation, a biography and a personal essay.

The scholarship fund is made possible through a multi-year commitment by Iridium NEXT Mission Team companies, an innovative group of partners that are working on the company's next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. By joining together, the Iridium NEXT Mission Team is supporting the development of aerospace students and encouraging new leaders in the industry. Along with contributions from Iridium, the program is being funded by Iridium NEXT Mission Team members including SpaceX, Orbital Sciences Corp., Thales Alenia Space, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SEAKR and MDA.

Iridium NEXT is the largest commercial space program underway today. With the support of its mission team partners, Iridium is scheduled to begin launching Iridium NEXT in 2015, bolstering what is already the furthest reaching satellite network, and adding significantly the advancement of global connectivity.

To learn more about the Iridium NEXT Mission Team Scholarship please visit http://www.iridium.com/About/IridiumNEXT/ScholarshipProgram.aspx.

About Iridium Communications Inc.

Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ever-expanding ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.   

The Iridium Communications Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10426

About the AIAA Foundation

The AIAA Foundation, the education division of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) ignites interest in science and technology through STEM K-12 education programs, prepares students for the workforce with scholarships and student conferences, promotes professional achievement via our Honors and Awards Programs for industry professionals and educators, and fosters innovation through competitions that push the envelope of current technologies.  

CONTACT: Press Contacts:

         

         Ashley Eames

         Iridium Communications Inc.

         +1 (703) 287-7476

         ashley.eames@iridium.com