$IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm

$irdm Overview Financials Valuation SEC Filings Company Website

2021 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000141881922000005 Filed on February 17, 2022

Income Statement

Concept	2021 Q4	2021	2020 Q4
Revenue	$155.9M	$614.5M	$146.5M
YoY Change	6.4%	5.32%	5.5%
Cost Of Revenue	$37.37M	$150.4M	$33.90M
YoY Change	10.23%	5.39%	-2.59%
Gross Profit	$118.5M	$464.1M	$112.6M
YoY Change	5.26%	5.31%	8.17%
Gross Profit Margin	76.03%	75.53%	76.86%
Selling, General & Admin	$27.95M	$100.5M	$27.50M
YoY Change	1.64%	11.57%	8.27%
% of Gross Profit	23.58%	21.65%	24.42%
Research & Development	$3.729M	$11.89M	$4.100M
YoY Change	-9.05%	-1.26%	13.89%
% of Gross Profit	3.15%	2.56%	3.64%
Depreciation & Amortization	$76.16M	$305.4M	$75.90M
YoY Change	0.35%	0.74%	1.07%
% of Gross Profit	64.26%	65.81%	67.41%
Operating Expenses	$107.8M	$112.4M	$107.5M
YoY Change	0.32%	10.06%	3.27%
Operating Profit	$10.67M	$46.31M	$5.100M
YoY Change	109.29%	30.52%	509900.0%
Interest Expense	-$72.96M	-$73.91M	-$22.70M
YoY Change	221.41%	-21.63%	-24.58%
% of Operating Profit	-683.53%	-159.58%	-445.1%
Other Income/Expense, Net	$56.88M	-$75.20M	-$300.0K
YoY Change	-19058.33%	-39.57%	50.0%
Pretax Income	-$5.411M	-$28.89M	-$17.90M
YoY Change	-69.77%	-67.53%	-87.39%
Income Tax	$473.0K	-$19.57M	-$10.00M
% Of Pretax Income
Net Earnings	-$5.884M	-$9.319M	-$7.925M
YoY Change	-25.75%	-83.37%	-92.65%
Net Earnings / Revenue	-3.77%	-1.52%	-5.41%
Basic Earnings Per Share		-$0.07
Diluted Earnings Per Share	-$44.30K	-$69.79K	-$58.78K
COMMON SHARES
Basic Shares Outstanding	132.2M shares	133.5M shares	133.3M shares
Diluted Shares Outstanding		133.5M shares

Balance Sheet

Concept	2021 Q4	2021	2020 Q4
SHORT-TERM ASSETS
Cash & Short-Term Investments	$320.9M	$320.9M	$244.7M
YoY Change	31.13%	31.15%	9.47%
Cash & Equivalents	$320.9M	$292.4M	$237.2M
Short-Term Investments	$0.00	$0.00	$7.548M
Other Short-Term Assets	$11.04M	$11.04M	$9.500M
YoY Change	16.24%	16.24%	-11.21%
Inventory	$29.04M	$29.04M	$32.48M
Prepaid Expenses
Receivables	$63.41M	$63.41M	$61.15M
Other Receivables	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Total Short-Term Assets	$424.4M	$424.4M	$347.8M
YoY Change	22.02%	22.03%	1.42%
LONG-TERM ASSETS
Property, Plant & Equipment	$2.662B	$2.683B	$2.917B
YoY Change	-8.73%	-8.79%	-8.29%
Goodwill
YoY Change
Intangibles	$44.00M		$45.50M
YoY Change	-3.31%		-3.14%
Long-Term Investments	$0.00
YoY Change
Other Assets	$50.05M	$29.68M	$50.55M
YoY Change	-0.99%	11.58%	-4.35%
Total Long-Term Assets	$2.756B	$2.756B	$3.013B
YoY Change	-8.52%	-8.52%	-8.15%
TOTAL ASSETS
Total Short-Term Assets	$424.4M	$424.4M	$347.8M
Total Long-Term Assets	$2.756B	$2.756B	$3.013B
Total Assets	$3.181B	$3.181B	$3.361B
YoY Change	-5.36%	-5.36%	-7.25%
SHORT-TERM LIABILITIES
YoY Change
Accounts Payable	$16.20M	$16.20M	$14.39M
YoY Change	12.55%	12.47%	114.36%
Accrued Expenses	$48.12M	$48.12M	$49.50M
YoY Change	-2.79%	-2.78%	0.43%
Deferred Revenue
YoY Change
Short-Term Debt	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
YoY Change
Long-Term Debt Due	$16.50M	$16.50M	$16.77M
YoY Change	-1.59%	-1.79%	54.17%
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$108.8M	$108.8M	$113.1M
YoY Change	-3.75%	-3.77%	-0.6%
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Long-Term Debt	$1.582B	$1.582B	$1.597B
YoY Change	-0.96%	-0.96%	-9.55%
Other Long-Term Liabilities	$20.15M	$68.22M	$25.20M
YoY Change	-20.06%	-10.83%	-13.94%
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$20.15M	$1.650B	$25.20M
YoY Change	-20.06%	-1.41%	-13.94%
TOTAL LIABILITIES
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$108.8M	$108.8M	$113.1M
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$20.15M	$1.650B	$25.20M
Total Liabilities	$1.893B	$1.893B	$1.942B
YoY Change	-2.51%	-2.51%	-10.29%
SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY
Retained Earnings	$140.8M		$275.9M
YoY Change	-48.97%		-16.89%
Common Stock	$1.154B		$1.161B
YoY Change	-0.56%		2.34%
Preferred Stock
YoY Change
Treasury Stock (at cost)
YoY Change
Treasury Stock Shares
Shareholders Equity	$1.288B	$1.288B	$1.419B
YoY Change
Total Liabilities & Shareholders Equity	$3.181B	$3.181B	$3.361B
YoY Change	-5.36%	-5.36%	-7.25%

Cashflow Statement

Concept	2021 Q4	2021	2020 Q4
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Income	-$5.884M	-$9.319M	-$7.925M
YoY Change	-25.75%	-83.37%	-92.65%
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization	$76.16M	$305.4M	$75.90M
YoY Change	0.35%	0.74%	1.07%
Cash From Operating Activities	$89.74M	$302.9M	$70.70M
YoY Change	26.93%	21.26%	27.16%
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	-$14.13M	$42.15M	-$9.400M
YoY Change	50.33%	8.94%	-37.33%
Acquisitions
YoY Change
Other Investing Activities	$1.493M	$5.765M	-$7.800M
YoY Change	-119.14%	-173.91%
Cash From Investing Activities	-$12.64M	-$36.38M	-$17.20M
YoY Change	-26.52%	-21.71%	14.67%
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash Dividend Paid
YoY Change
Common Stock Issuance & Retirement, Net		$163.4M
YoY Change
Debt Paid & Issued, Net
YoY Change
Cash From Financing Activities	-42.74M	-$182.5M	300.0K
YoY Change	-14346.0%	-3.04%	-100.16%
NET CHANGE
Cash From Operating Activities	89.74M	$302.9M	70.70M
Cash From Investing Activities	-12.64M	-$36.38M	-17.20M
Cash From Financing Activities	-42.74M	-$182.5M	300.0K
Net Change In Cash	34.36M	$83.74M	53.80M
YoY Change	-36.13%	514.93%	-137.36%
FREE CASH FLOW
Cash From Operating Activities	$89.74M	$302.9M	$70.70M
Capital Expenditures	-$14.13M	$42.15M	-$9.400M
Free Cash Flow	$103.9M	$260.7M	$80.10M
YoY Change	29.67%	23.52%	13.46%

Facts In Submission

Frame	Concept Type	Concept / XBRL Key	Value	Unit
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CY2021	dei	Amendment Flag AmendmentFlag	false
CY2021	dei	Document Fiscal Year Focus DocumentFiscalYearFocus	2021
CY2021	dei	Document Fiscal Period Focus DocumentFiscalPeriodFocus	FY
CY2021	dei	Trading Symbol TradingSymbol	IRDM
CY2021	dei	Entity Central Index Key EntityCentralIndexKey	0001418819
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	300000000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	300000000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	131341844	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	134055756	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	131341844	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	134055756	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsAmortizedCostBasis	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling Year Two Through Five Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughFiveAmortizedCostBasis	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling Year Two Through Five Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughFiveFairValue	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis	0	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	1500000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	1600000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	0	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	0	shares
CY2021	irdm	Stock Options Granted Fv StockOptionsGrantedFV	0	USD
CY2020	irdm	Stock Options Granted Fv StockOptionsGrantedFV	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Treasury Stock Value Acquired Cost Method TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Treasury Stock Shares Acquired TreasuryStockSharesAcquired	0	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Share Subscriptions PreferredStockShareSubscriptions	500000	shares
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Period Increase Decrease UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsPeriodIncreaseDecrease	0	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2020	irdm	No Single Customer Over10 Total Revenue Commercial NoSingleCustomerOver10TotalRevenueCommercial	0.10
CY2020Q4	irdm	No Single Customer Over10 Total Ar Government NoSingleCustomerOver10TotalARGovernment	0.10
CY2020	irdm	No Single Customer Over10 Total Revenue Government NoSingleCustomerOver10TotalRevenueGovernment	0.10
CY2020Q4	irdm	No Single Country Greaterthan Stated Percentage Ppe NoSingleCountryGreaterthanStatedPercentagePPE	0.10
CY2021Q4	irdm	No Single Country Greaterthan Stated Percentage Ppe NoSingleCountryGreaterthanStatedPercentagePPE	0.10
CY2020	irdm	No Single Countryor Region Representing More Than Stated Percentageof Total Revenue NoSingleCountryorRegionRepresentingMoreThanStatedPercentageofTotalRevenue	0.10
CY2020	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employers Matching Contribution Annual Vesting Percentage DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage	1
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CY2021	dei	Document Type DocumentType	10-K
CY2021	dei	Document Annual Report DocumentAnnualReport	true
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Transition Report DocumentTransitionReport	false
CY2021	dei	Entity File Number EntityFileNumber	001-33963
CY2021	dei	Entity Registrant Name EntityRegistrantName	Iridium Communications Inc.
CY2021	dei	Entity Incorporation State Country Code EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode	DE
CY2021	dei	Entity Tax Identification Number EntityTaxIdentificationNumber	26-1344998
CY2021	dei	Entity Address Address Line1 EntityAddressAddressLine1	1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1400
CY2021	dei	Entity Address City Or Town EntityAddressCityOrTown	McLean
CY2021	dei	Entity Address State Or Province EntityAddressStateOrProvince	VA
CY2021	dei	Entity Address Postal Zip Code EntityAddressPostalZipCode	22102
CY2021	dei	City Area Code CityAreaCode	703
CY2021	dei	Local Phone Number LocalPhoneNumber	287-7400
CY2021	dei	Security12b Title Security12bTitle	Common Stock, $0.001 par value
CY2021	dei	Entity Well Known Seasoned Issuer EntityWellKnownSeasonedIssuer	Yes
CY2021	dei	Entity Voluntary Filers EntityVoluntaryFilers	No
CY2021	dei	Entity Current Reporting Status EntityCurrentReportingStatus	Yes
CY2021	dei	Entity Interactive Data Current EntityInteractiveDataCurrent	Yes
CY2021	dei	Entity Filer Category EntityFilerCategory	Large Accelerated Filer
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CY2021	dei	Entity Emerging Growth Company EntityEmergingGrowthCompany	false
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CY2021	dei	Entity Shell Company EntityShellCompany	false
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CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Auditor Firm AuditorFirmId	42
CY2021	dei	Auditor Name AuditorName	Ernst & Young LLP
CY2021	dei	Auditor Location AuditorLocation	Tysons, Virginia
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CY2021	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	133530000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	133491000	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	125167000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.07
CY2020	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.42
CY2019	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-1.33
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-9319000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-56054000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-161999000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-280000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-3277000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Unrealized Gain Loss On Cash Flow Hedging Instruments UnrealizedGainLossOnCashFlowHedgingInstruments	-7036000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	809000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	-66367000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	-160069000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	1601577000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	16641000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Share Based Compensation Gross StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationGross	13471000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Stock Withheld To Cover Employee Taxes AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalStockWithheldToCoverEmployeeTaxes	4594000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-161999000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Dividends Preferred Stock DividendsPreferredStock	7744000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	2051000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Unrealized Gain Loss On Cash Flow Hedging Instruments UnrealizedGainLossOnCashFlowHedgingInstruments	-121000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	1459282000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	18322000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Share Based Compensation Gross StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationGross	12715000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Stock Withheld To Cover Employee Taxes AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalStockWithheldToCoverEmployeeTaxes	4513000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-56054000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-3277000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Unrealized Gain Loss On Cash Flow Hedging Instruments UnrealizedGainLossOnCashFlowHedgingInstruments	-7036000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	1419439000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	29616000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Share Based Compensation Gross StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensationGross	7443000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Stock Withheld To Cover Employee Taxes AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalStockWithheldToCoverEmployeeTaxes	5918000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Stock Repurchased And Retired During Period Value StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	-163442000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-9319000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-280000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Unrealized Gain Loss On Cash Flow Hedging Instruments UnrealizedGainLossOnCashFlowHedgingInstruments	10408000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	1287947000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-9319000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-56054000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	-161999000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-21314000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-33684000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-53897000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	305431000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	303174000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	297705000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Gains Losses On Extinguishment Of Debt GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt	-879000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Gains Losses On Extinguishment Of Debt GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt	-30209000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Gains Losses On Extinguishment Of Debt GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt	-111710000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	26782000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	16714000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	15138000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Amortization Of Financing Costs AmortizationOfFinancingCosts	4201000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Amortization Of Financing Costs AmortizationOfFinancingCosts	3658000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Amortization Of Financing Costs AmortizationOfFinancingCosts	18904000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Operating Activities Cash Flow Statement OtherOperatingActivitiesCashFlowStatement	-160000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Operating Activities Cash Flow Statement OtherOperatingActivitiesCashFlowStatement	1124000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Operating Activities Cash Flow Statement OtherOperatingActivitiesCashFlowStatement	952000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	1823000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-6380000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-2509000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	-3592000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	-7234000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	12951000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Deferred Expense And Other Assets IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets	1696000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Deferred Expense And Other Assets IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets	-1119000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Deferred Expense And Other Assets IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets	-7973000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	-3911000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	-3241000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	-3097000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	-2166000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	7410000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	-4300000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities And Other Operating Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherOperatingLiabilities	7170000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities And Other Operating Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherOperatingLiabilities	-15662000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities And Other Operating Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherOperatingLiabilities	-17093000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Deferred Revenue IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRevenue	-7531000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Deferred Revenue IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRevenue	-21692000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Deferred Revenue IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRevenue	-6435000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-5083000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-3404000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-3170000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	302874000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	249767000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities	198143000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	42147000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	38689000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	117819000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Other Investments PaymentsToAcquireOtherInvestments	1635000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Other Investments PaymentsToAcquireOtherInvestments	152000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	1450000000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Other Investments PaymentsToAcquireOtherInvestments	10000000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Marketable Securities PaymentsToAcquireMarketableSecurities	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Marketable Securities PaymentsToAcquireMarketableSecurities	7629000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Marketable Securities PaymentsToAcquireMarketableSecurities	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale And Maturity Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromSaleAndMaturityOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	7400000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale And Maturity Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromSaleAndMaturityOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale And Maturity Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromSaleAndMaturityOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-36382000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-46470000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities	-127819000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Repayments Of Lines Of Credit RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Repayments Of Lines Of Credit RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Repayments Of Lines Of Credit RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit	1734965000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	179285000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Long Term Debt ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt	202000000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Repayments Of Debt RepaymentsOfDebt	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Repayments Of Debt RepaymentsOfDebt	383451000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Repayments Of Debt RepaymentsOfDebt	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments For Repurchase Of Common Stock PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock	163442000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments For Repurchase Of Common Stock PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments For Repurchase Of Common Stock PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock	0	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments Of Financing Costs PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	4052000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments Of Financing Costs PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	2562000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments Of Financing Costs PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	28803000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	7443000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	12715000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	13471000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	5918000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	4513000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	4596000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Payments Of Dividends Preferred Stock And Preference Stock PaymentsOfDividendsPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock	0	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Payments Of Dividends Preferred Stock And Preference Stock PaymentsOfDividendsPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock	0	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Payments Of Dividends Preferred Stock And Preference Stock PaymentsOfDividendsPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock	8387000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	-182469000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	-188186000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities	-313280000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents	-288000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents	-1494000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents	1230000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	83735000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	13617000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease Including Exchange Rate Effect CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecreaseIncludingExchangeRateEffect	-241726000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	237178000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	223561000	USD
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	465287000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	320913000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	237178000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash Equivalents Restricted Cash And Restricted Cash Equivalents CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	223561000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Interest Paid Net InterestPaidNet	72195000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Interest Paid Net InterestPaidNet	98714000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Interest Paid Net InterestPaidNet	119464000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	1784000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	-661000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	-606000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	8225000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	3721000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	3975000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Capitalized Amortization Of Deferred Financing Costs CapitalizedAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCosts	115000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Capitalized Amortization Of Deferred Financing Costs CapitalizedAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCosts	115000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Capitalized Amortization Of Deferred Financing Costs CapitalizedAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCosts	2416000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs Capitalized Amount EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount	2834000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs Capitalized Amount EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount	1608000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs Capitalized Amount EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount	1503000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Use Of Estimates UseOfEstimates	<div><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Use of Estimates</span></div><div><span><br/></span></div><div><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:115%">The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and assumptions, including those related to revenue recognition, the useful lives and recoverability of long-lived and intangible assets, income taxes, stock-based compensation, the incremental borrowing rate for its leases, and contingencies, among others. The Company bases these estimates on historical and anticipated results, trends, and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable, including assumptions as to future events. These estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and recorded revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.</span></div>
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	us-gaap	Concentration Risk Credit Risk ConcentrationRiskCreditRisk	<div style="margin-top:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Concentrations of Credit Risk</span></div><div style="margin-top:10pt"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and receivables. The majority of cash is invested into a money market fund with U.S. treasuries, Agency Mortgage Backed Securities and/or U.S. government guaranteed debt. While the Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions with high credit ratings, it often maintains those deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. The Company performs credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and records reserves to provide for estimated credit losses. Accounts receivable are due from both domestic and international customers.</span></div>
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Finished Goods InventoryFinishedGoods	27936000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Definition Three Year Cumulative Inflation Rate Highly Inflationary Economy DefinitionThreeYearCumulativeInflationRateHighlyInflationaryEconomy	1	Rate
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Finished Goods InventoryFinishedGoods	18395000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Raw Materials InventoryRawMaterials	11850000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Raw Materials InventoryRawMaterials	5983000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Valuation Reserves InventoryValuationReserves	1201000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Valuation Reserves InventoryValuationReserves	1439000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Net InventoryNet	29044000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Net InventoryNet	32480000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Propertyand Equipment Net ShareBasedCompensationPropertyandEquipmentNet	2376000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Propertyand Equipment Net ShareBasedCompensationPropertyandEquipmentNet	1319000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Inventory Net ShareBasedCompensationInventoryNet	436000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Inventory Net ShareBasedCompensationInventoryNet	261000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Prepaidand Other Assets ShareBasedCompensationPrepaidandOtherAssets	22000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Prepaidand Other Assets ShareBasedCompensationPrepaidandOtherAssets	28000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Equipment Expense ShareBasedCompensationEquipmentExpense	53000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Equipment Expense ShareBasedCompensationEquipmentExpense	29000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Costof Services ShareBasedCompensationCostofServices	8037000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Costof Services ShareBasedCompensationCostofServices	5037000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Researchand Development ShareBasedCompensationResearchandDevelopment	333000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Researchand Development ShareBasedCompensationResearchandDevelopment	305000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Selling Generaland Administrative Expense ShareBasedCompensationSellingGeneralandAdministrativeExpense	18359000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Selling Generaland Administrative Expense ShareBasedCompensationSellingGeneralandAdministrativeExpense	11343000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Expensed And Capitalized ShareBasedCompensationExpensedAndCapitalized	29616000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Share Based Compensation Expensed And Capitalized ShareBasedCompensationExpensedAndCapitalized	18322000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	1900000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	1200000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	900000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash	28496000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash	27168000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	320913000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	237178000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis	7600000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities	7500000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsAmortizedCostBasis	5530000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue	5525000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling Year Two Through Five Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughFiveAmortizedCostBasis	2024000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling Year Two Through Five Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughFiveFairValue	2023000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Debt Securities Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis	7554000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Securities AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities	7548000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Satellite System Gross SatelliteSystemGross	3197460000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Satellite System Gross SatelliteSystemGross	3197460000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Ground System Gross GroundSystemGross	75899000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Ground System Gross GroundSystemGross	64581000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Fixtures And Equipment Gross FixturesAndEquipmentGross	46461000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Fixtures And Equipment Gross FixturesAndEquipmentGross	44871000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Capitalized Computer Software Gross CapitalizedComputerSoftwareGross	290979000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Capitalized Computer Software Gross CapitalizedComputerSoftwareGross	251320000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Buildings And Improvements Gross BuildingsAndImprovementsGross	30198000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Buildings And Improvements Gross BuildingsAndImprovementsGross	29924000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Gross PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	3640997000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Gross PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	3588156000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	1253354000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	959606000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Property Plant And Equipment Net Excluding Construction In Process And Land PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNetExcludingConstructionInProcessAndLand	2387643000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Property Plant And Equipment Net Excluding Construction In Process And Land PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNetExcludingConstructionInProcessAndLand	2628550000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Land Land	8037000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Land Land	8037000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Ground Spares GroundSpares	225254000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Ground Spares GroundSpares	225254000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Other Construction In Process Net OtherConstructionInProcessNet	41402000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Other Construction In Process Net OtherConstructionInProcessNet	55235000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2662336000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2917076000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Capitalized Computer Software Net CapitalizedComputerSoftwareNet	29443000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Capitalized Computer Software Net CapitalizedComputerSoftwareNet	44444000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Fixturesand Equipment Net FixturesandEquipmentNet	11558000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Fixturesand Equipment Net FixturesandEquipmentNet	10388000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Ground System Net GroundSystemNet	401000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Ground System Net GroundSystemNet	403000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Other Construction In Process Net OtherConstructionInProcessNet	41402000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Other Construction In Process Net OtherConstructionInProcessNet	55235000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Depreciation Depreciation	303800000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Depreciation Depreciation	301700000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Depreciation Depreciation	296100000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill	35225000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill	35225000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Gross FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	22558000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill Accumulated Amortization IntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillAccumulatedAmortization	13784000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	8774000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Gross Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill	57783000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	13784000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	43999000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill	35225000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill	35225000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Gross FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	22513000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill Accumulated Amortization IntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillAccumulatedAmortization	12234000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	10279000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Gross Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill	57738000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	12234000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	45504000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	1600000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	1500000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	1600000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Next Twelve Months FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseNextTwelveMonths	1555000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Two FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearTwo	1555000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Three FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearThree	744000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Four FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFour	744000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFive	744000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense After Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseAfterYearFive	3432000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	8774000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Renewal Term LesseeOperatingLeaseRenewalTerm	P10Y
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term1 OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageRemainingLeaseTerm1	P5Y10M24D
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Weighted Average Discount Rate Percent OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageDiscountRatePercent	0.067
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	20369000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	23974000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	20369000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Right Of Use Asset OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset	23974000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Current OperatingLeaseLiabilityCurrent	3703000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Current OperatingLeaseLiabilityCurrent	3838000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Noncurrent OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	19587000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability Noncurrent OperatingLeaseLiabilityNoncurrent	23258000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability OperatingLeaseLiability	23290000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Two LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearTwo	4997000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Operating Lease Liability OperatingLeaseLiability	27096000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Operating Lease Expense OperatingLeaseExpense	5600000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Operating Lease Expense OperatingLeaseExpense	5600000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Operating Lease Expense OperatingLeaseExpense	5100000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Next Twelve Months LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueNextTwelveMonths	5270000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Three LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearThree	4972000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Four LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFour	5088000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due Year Five LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFive	3287000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due After Year Five LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueAfterYearFive	4921000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessee Operating Lease Liability Payments Due LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue	28535000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Operating Lease Lease Income OperatingLeaseLeaseIncome	21400000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Operating Lease Lease Income OperatingLeaseLeaseIncome	21400000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Operating Lease Lease Income OperatingLeaseLeaseIncome	21600000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received Four Years LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedFourYears	21445000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received Next Twelve Months LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedNextTwelveMonths	21445000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received Two Years LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedTwoYears	21445000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received Three Years LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedThreeYears	21445000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received Five Years LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedFiveYears	21445000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received Thereafter LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedThereafter	77462000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Lessor Operating Lease Payments To Be Received LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceived	184687000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Periodic Payment Principal DebtInstrumentPeriodicPaymentPrincipal	16500000	USD
CY2021Q3	irdm	July Repricing New Oid JulyRepricingNewOID	4100000	USD
	us-gaap	Extinguishment Of Debt Amount ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount	65200000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Gains Losses On Extinguishment Of Debt GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt	-900000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Gains Losses On Extinguishment Of Debt GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt	-30200000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs UnamortizedDeferredFinancingCosts	23100000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs UnamortizedDeferredFinancingCosts	24000000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Credit Facility Carrying Amount CreditFacilityCarryingAmount	1598000000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Credit Facility Carrying Amount CreditFacilityCarryingAmount	1613600000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Fair Value LongTermDebtFairValue	1622100000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Fair Value LongTermDebtFairValue	1647900000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Ratio Of Indebtedness To Net Capital1 RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapital1	6.25
CY2021	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Interest Rate During Period DebtInstrumentInterestRateDuringPeriod	0.043	Rate
CY2021Q1	irdm	Third Party Repricing Fees ThirdPartyRepricingFees	3600000	USD
	irdm	Third Party Repricing Fees ThirdPartyRepricingFees	1300000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Interest Costs Incurred InterestCostsIncurred	72816000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Interest Costs Incurred InterestCostsIncurred	99155000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Interest Costs Incurred InterestCostsIncurred	140532000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Amortization Of Financing Costs And Discounts AmortizationOfFinancingCostsAndDiscounts	4316000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Amortization Of Financing Costs And Discounts AmortizationOfFinancingCostsAndDiscounts	3773000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Amortization Of Financing Costs And Discounts AmortizationOfFinancingCostsAndDiscounts	21320000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Interest Costs Capitalized InterestCostsCapitalized	2146000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Interest Costs Capitalized InterestCostsCapitalized	3225000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Interest Costs Capitalized InterestCostsCapitalized	15055000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Interest Payable Current And Noncurrent InterestPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent	100000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Interest Payable Current And Noncurrent InterestPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent	200000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Next Twelve Months LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInNextTwelveMonths	16500000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Two LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearTwo	16500000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Three LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearThree	16500000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Four LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFour	16500000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments Of Principal In Year Five LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFive	1555125000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Carrying Amount DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount	1621125000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Debt Instrument Unamortized Discount DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount	23109000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt Current LongTermDebtCurrent	16500000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Debt LongTermDebt	1581516000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Derivative Gain Loss On Derivative Net DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet	8500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Derivative Gain Loss On Derivative Net DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet	9100000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Derivative Gain Loss On Derivative Net DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet	300000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification And Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationAndTax	10408000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification And Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationAndTax	-7036000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification And Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationAndTax	-121000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationTax	-3316000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationTax	2464000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Cash Flow Hedge Gain Loss After Reclassification Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationTax	-41000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Number Of Shares Available For Grant ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant	10462457	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Stock Repurchase Program Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount1 StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1	136600000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Share Base Compensation Award Reduction In Shares Available For Issuance By Shares Issued Pursuant To Any Appreciation Award ShareBaseCompensationAwardReductionInSharesAvailableForIssuanceBySharesIssuedPursuantToAnyAppreciationAward	1	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Purchase Price Of Common Stock Percent SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardPurchasePriceOfCommonStockPercent	1
CY2021	irdm	Share Based Compensation Award Reductionin Shares Availablefor Issuanceby Shares Issued Pursuantto Any Stock Awardthatisnotan Appreciation Award ShareBasedCompensationAwardReductioninSharesAvailableforIssuancebySharesIssuedPursuanttoAnyStockAwardthatisnotanAppreciationAward	1.8	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	139000	shares
CY2019	irdm	Stock Options Granted Fv StockOptionsGrantedFV	1300000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Weighted Average Volatility Rate ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsWeightedAverageVolatilityRate	0.4078
CY2019	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Term1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTerm1	P6Y1M9D
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Dividend Rate ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate	0
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate	0.0259
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	5703000	shares
CY2018Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.29
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	139000	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	21.12
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriod	1000	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	11.74
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriod	13000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	18.17
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	11.80
CY2019	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	1670000	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.11
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Total Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue	29584000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriod	18000	shares
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	4153000	shares
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.78
CY2019	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P4Y10D
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	65887000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriod	5000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	20.17
CY2020	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	1581000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.14
CY2020	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Total Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue	33836000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	2554000	shares
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	9.10
CY2020	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P3Y11M8D
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	77182000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriod	3000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	10.67
CY2021	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	857000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.51
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Total Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue	31544000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriod	13000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	16.07
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	1681000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	9.35
CY2021	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P3Y3M10D
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	53698000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercisable Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber	1603000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Treasury Stock Retired Cost Method Amount TreasuryStockRetiredCostMethodAmount	163400000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercisable Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.84
CY2021	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Exercisable Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1	P3Y1M9D
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Exercisable Intrinsic Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1	52021000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingNumber	1680000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	9.34
CY2021	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1	P3Y3M10D
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Exercisable Aggregate Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestExercisableAggregateIntrinsicValue	53684000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Total Authorized Preferred Stock Number TotalAuthorizedPreferredStockNumber	2000000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.0001
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Issued PreferredStockSharesIssued	1500000	shares
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Share Subscriptions PreferredStockShareSubscriptions	500000	shares
CY2021Q1	us-gaap	Stock Repurchase Program Authorized Amount1 StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1	300000000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Treasury Stock Shares Retired TreasuryStockSharesRetired	4300000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Contract With Customer Liability Revenue Recognized ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized	43000000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Contract With Customer Liability Revenue Recognized ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized	41100000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Contract With Customer Liability Revenue Recognized ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized	43000000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	-89251000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	-31352000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	37000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	-218391000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	2464000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	287000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	272000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest	-28888000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest	-88964000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest	-218119000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	-537000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	-688000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	-3796000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	42000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	70000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1745000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1850000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	2240000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	1387000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	1481000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	769000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-2278000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-14109000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-27701000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-50690000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-6686000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-5869000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-519000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-109000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-1302000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Deferred Income Tax Provision DeferredIncomeTaxProvision	-21314000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Deferred Income Tax Provision DeferredIncomeTaxProvision	-33679000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Deferred Income Tax Provision DeferredIncomeTaxProvision	-53842000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-19569000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-32910000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-56120000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-6067000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-18811000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	-45790000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-9094000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-6723000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	-15608000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In State Tax Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInStateTaxValuationAllowance	711000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In State Tax Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInStateTaxValuationAllowance	2561000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation Change In State Tax Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInStateTaxValuationAllowance	16216000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Deferredimpactofstatetaxlawchangesandelections Deferredimpactofstatetaxlawchangesandelections	1200000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Deferredimpactofstatetaxlawchangesandelections Deferredimpactofstatetaxlawchangesandelections	-1684000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Deferredimpactofstatetaxlawchangesandelections Deferredimpactofstatetaxlawchangesandelections	-2414000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Share Based Compensation Cost IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost	-9597000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Share Based Compensation Cost IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost	-8414000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Share Based Compensation Cost IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost	-8227000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Limitationon Executive Compensation EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationLimitationonExecutiveCompensation	3140000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Limitationon Executive Compensation EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationLimitationonExecutiveCompensation	666000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Limitationon Executive Compensation EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationLimitationonExecutiveCompensation	920000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Other IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	65000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Other IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	206000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Other IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	873000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Tax Credits IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCredits	1278000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Tax Credits IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCredits	1048000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Tax Credits IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCredits	995000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Foreign Taxes EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignTaxes	1100000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Foreign Taxes EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignTaxes	723000	USD
CY2019	irdm	Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Foreign Taxes EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignTaxes	1217000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	251000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	-386000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	-2312000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-19569000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-32910000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-56120000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Assets Long Term Contracts DeferredTaxAssetsLongTermContracts	57189000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Assets Long Term Contracts DeferredTaxAssetsLongTermContracts	64738000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards	410450000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards	430273000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Other DeferredTaxAssetsOther	23236000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Other DeferredTaxAssetsOther	22493000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Gross DeferredTaxAssetsGross	490875000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Gross DeferredTaxAssetsGross	517504000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	34522000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	32218000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net DeferredTaxAssetsNet	456353000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net DeferredTaxAssetsNet	485286000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Liabilities Fixed Assets And Intangibles DeferredTaxLiabilitiesFixedAssetsAndIntangibles	532414000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Liabilities Fixed Assets And Intangibles DeferredTaxLiabilitiesFixedAssetsAndIntangibles	577955000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Investments DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestments	46070000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Investments DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestments	52203000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Other DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	11061000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Other DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	6283000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	589545000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	636441000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities DeferredTaxLiabilities	133192000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities DeferredTaxLiabilities	151155000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2020	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Period Increase Decrease UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsPeriodIncreaseDecrease	500000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021Q4	irdm	Total Deferred Tax Assets TotalDeferredTaxAssets	1100000	USD
CY2021Q4	irdm	Total Deferred Tax Liabilities TotalDeferredTaxLiabilities	134300000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets In Process Research And Development DeferredTaxAssetsInProcessResearchAndDevelopment	11100000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets In Process Research And Development DeferredTaxAssetsInProcessResearchAndDevelopment	10000000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Credit Carryforwards Foreign DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign	5600000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Credit Carryforwards Foreign DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign	5700000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021Q4	irdm	Foreign Tax Credit Carry Forward Valuation Allowance Increase ForeignTaxCreditCarryForwardValuationAllowanceIncrease	800000	USD
CY2020Q4	irdm	Foreign Tax Credit Carry Forward Valuation Allowance Increase ForeignTaxCreditCarryForwardValuationAllowanceIncrease	1100000	USD
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-9319000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-56054000	USD
CY2021	irdm	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Decreases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	-537000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	-166193000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	537000	USD
CY2019Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	953000	USD
CY2020	irdm	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Decreases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	-416000	USD
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	0	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	537000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	133530000	shares
CY2020	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	133491000	shares
CY2019	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Share Outstanding Basic And Diluted WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted	125167000	shares
CY2021	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.07
CY2020	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-0.42
CY2019	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic And Diluted EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	-1.33
CY2021	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2021-12-31
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Equity Method Investment Ownership Percentage EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage	0.357
CY2021	irdm	No Single Customer Over10 Total Revenue Commercial NoSingleCustomerOver10TotalRevenueCommercial	0.10
CY2021Q4	irdm	No Single Customer Over10 Total Ar Government NoSingleCustomerOver10TotalARGovernment	0.10
CY2021Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2662336000	USD
CY2020Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	2917076000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Revenues Revenues	614500000	USD
CY2020	us-gaap	Revenues Revenues	583439000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Revenues Revenues	560444000	USD
CY2021	irdm	No Single Customer Over10 Total Revenue Government NoSingleCustomerOver10TotalRevenueGovernment	0.10
CY2021	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employers Matching Contribution Annual Vesting Percentage DefinedContributionPlanEmployersMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage	1	Rate
CY2021	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Matching Contribution Percent Of Match DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercentOfMatch	1
CY2021	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Matching Contribution Percent DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent	0.05
CY2020	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount	3100000	USD
CY2021	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount	3500000	USD
CY2019	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount	3100000	USD

Files In Submission

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$IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm

2021 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000141881922000005 Filed on February 17, 2022

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

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Facts In Submission

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$IRDM Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm

2021 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000141881922000005 Filed on February 17, 2022

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cashflow Statement

Facts In Submission

Files In Submission

$IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm