Description
Book Synopsis: In the early 1990s, Motorola, the legendary American radio and telecom company, made a huge gamble on a revolutionary satellite telephone system called Iridium. Light-years ahead of anything previously put into space, built on technology for Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars,” Iridium was a mind-boggling technical accomplishment that sent waves of panic through phone companies around the world, because, surely, Iridium was the future of communication. Only months after launching service, bankruptcy was inevitable—the largest to that point in American history. It looked like Iridium would go down as just a “science experiment.”
That is, until Dan Colussy got a wild idea. Colussy, a retired former President of Pan Am, heard about Motorola’s plans to “de-orbit” the system and decided he would try to buy Iridium. Somehow, the little guy figured he could turn around one of the biggest blunders in the history of business.
Eccentric Orbits masterfully traces the development of satellite technology, the birth of Iridium, and Colussy’s tireless efforts to stop it from being destroyed, despite having doors slammed in his face by all of Wall Street. Piecing together funding from a motley group of investors that included a mysterious Arab prince and friends of Jesse Jackson, he eventually made his case before the most powerful people at the Clinton White House, the Pentagon, the FCC, intelligence services, and a consortium of thirty banks, pleading for the only phone that works at the ends of earth.
Eccentric Orbits is a rollicking, unforgettable tale of innovation, failure, the military-industrial complex, and one of the greatest deals of all time.
Details
Unlock the fascinating story of Iridium, the revolutionary satellite telephone system that shook the telecom industry to its core. In Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story, you'll embark on a journey through the birth of satellite technology and witness the mind-boggling technical accomplishment behind Iridium. Developed on the heels of Ronald Reagan's legendary "Star Wars" program, Iridium was ahead of its time and sent shockwaves of panic through phone companies worldwide. Discover how this cutting-edge communication system went from bankruptcy to becoming one of the greatest deals in history.
When all seemed lost and Iridium was deemed a mere "science experiment," Dan Colussy, a retired former President of Pan Am, stepped in with a wild idea. Against all odds, Colussy decided to buy Iridium and salvage what others thought was a lost cause. Join him on his tireless quest to save Iridium from certain destruction, even as Wall Street turned its back on him. In this captivating narrative, you'll witness Colussy's unfaltering determination and how he pieced together funding from a motley group of investors, persisting against a barrage of closed doors.
Eccentric Orbits takes you behind the scenes as Colussy presents his case before the most influential figures at the Clinton White House, the Pentagon, the FCC, intelligence services, and a consortium of thirty banks. Discover the unlikely alliances he formed, including a mysterious Arab prince and friends of Jesse Jackson, as he makes a plea for the only phone that works in the remotest corners of the earth. This rollicking tale uncovers the complex world of innovation, failure, and the military-industrial complex, leaving you enthralled until the very end.
Don't miss out on this enthralling account of determination, innovation, and the power of never giving up. Experience the highs and lows, the triumphs and challenges of the Iridium story. Get your copy of Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story today and delve into one of the greatest deals of all time.
Secure your copy of Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story now!
Discover More Best Sellers in Technology
Shop Technology
The Question Concerning Technology, and Other Essays (Harper Perennial Modern Thought)
$11.49
Technology - The Question Concerning Technology, and Other Essays (Harper Perennial Modern Thought)
Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know It
$17.72
Technology - Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know It
$80.00
Technology - The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World
The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction
$10.99
Technology - The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction
Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator
$18.37
Technology - Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator
High Bias: The Distorted History of the Cassette Tape
$8.54
Technology - High Bias: The Distorted History of the Cassette Tape
Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future
$20.85
Technology - Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future
