Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium Wins 2018 Satellite Executive of the Year, and Intellian’s v240MT Tri-band Antenna System, 2018 Satellite Technology of the Year

Washington, D.C., May 8, 2019 — Via Satellite announced Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium, as the winner of the prestigious 2018 Satellite Executive of the Year Award, and Intellian’s v240MT Tri-band Antenna System as the winner of the inaugural 2018 Satellite Technology of the Year Award today at Satellite 2019 conference and exhibition.

The successful replacement of Iridium’s Block 1 satellites and the full launch of its NEXT constellation was an astounding feat of technical, financial, and operational management — with everything falling into place under the leadership of CEO Matthew Desch. When Desch joined Iridium as its CEO in 2006, the Virginia-based operator was in poor financial shape. So much so, that its competitors were expected to buy out the company in order to dissolve it and salvage assets. Desch’s laser-focus on product and market development created an alternative path forward whereby a new constellation could be financed based on the company’s revenue and profit growth.

“Matt Desch is no stranger to this award,” said Mark Holmes, Editorial Director of Via Satellite. “Desch won Via Satellite’s Executive of the Year Award in 2012 for his innovative approach to worldwide mobile connectivity, his leadership during a six-year financial turnaround, and his vision for Iridium NEXT,” added Holmes. As the 2018 Satellite Executive of the Year, Matt Desch again joins the ranks of the best of the best in our industry. Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX was honored in 2017; Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace was honored in 2016; and the 2015 honoree was Michel de Rosen, CEO of Eutelsat.

Via Satellite has a longstanding history of recognizing the people leading the charge for the satellite industry, so the addition of the 2018 Satellite Technology of the Year Award is very fitting. Intellian’s tri-band v240MT antenna system wins the inaugural Satellite Technology of the Year Award.

Intellian’s multi-orbit and tri-band v240MT antenna system is the world’s first of its kind that enables communication services in three different frequency bands and tracks both Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, as well as satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). It delivers data rates exceeding 1 Gbps using a single 2.4-meter reflector. Most importantly, the antenna’s versatility allows it to access to virtually any satellite constellation within seconds.