Cover - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024	Feb. 07, 2025	Jun. 30, 2024
Document Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2024
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2024
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-33963
Entity Registrant Name	Iridium Communications Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	26-1344998
Entity Address, Address Line One	1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1400
Entity Address, City or Town	McLean
Entity Address, State or Province	VA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	22102
City Area Code	703
Local Phone Number	287-7400
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.001 par value
Trading Symbol	IRDM
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 2,409.2
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		108,839,159
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the registrant’s fiscal year end of December 31, 2024, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.
Entity Central Index Key	0001418819
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Financial Statement Error Correction [Flag]	false
NASDAQ/NGS (GLOBAL SELECT MARKET)
Document Information [Line Items]
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ