WASHINGTON — The traditional rough-and-tumble among the mobile satellite services operators continued apace March 20 when Globalstar Chief Executive Jay Monroe said he would wager $1,000 that the Iridium Next constellation of satellites would not be launched, as scheduled, starting in February 2015.
“I’ll take the bet,” Iridium Communications Chief Executive Matthew J. Desch responded during a panel discussion at the Satellite 2013 conference. “But it’s disappointing to see someone betting against someone else’s success.”
Monroe responded: “I was just trying to take advantage of a two-month window to make $1,000.”
To which Desch replied: “If you need the money, I can get it to you. I understand you need the money.”
Mobile satellite services, like politics, ain’t beanbag.
