Iridium, recently saved from certain death by new investors and a large contract with the U.S. Department of Defense, is honing its marketing efforts. Airlines are looking at Qualcomm and Iridium for satellite network systems that can offer tamperproof monitoring of what is happening inside aircraft. Iridium is also concentrating on specific industries such as oil, gas, and maritime. A couple weeks ago, I saw my first Iridium flare. It was much brighter than I expected, but not particularly awe-inspiring.