Today we're pleased to announce Starnote for Iridium - the affordable way to add truly global, pole-to-pole satellite failover to any solution built on Notecard Cellular, Notecard WiFi, or Notecard Cell+WiFi. Powered by Iridium and their Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, Starnote for Iridium delivers coverage anywhere on the planet, including open ocean and the most remote locations where terrestrial and regional satellite networks can't reach.
tl;dr Starnote for Iridium adds Iridium satellite (NTN) connectivity to your existing Notecard design as an additional radio access technology. It bundles 10KB of satellite uplink and downlink data into the cost of the device itself, with no subscriptions or recurring fees. It pairs with the new Notecarrier XI, and both are available together in the Starnote for Iridium Starter Kit.
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noteCheck out the Starnote for Iridium datasheet and the Notecarrier XI datasheet for complete technical details, and visit the Blues store to get yours today.
Why Iridium, and Why Pole-to-Pole
Cellular networks cover a lot of the planet, but not all of it. Regional satellite networks fill in many of the gaps, but they still leave "blank spots" like most of the open ocean, the polar regions, and deeply remote corners of the planet.
Iridium is different. Its LEO constellation provides genuinely global coverage. That makes Starnote for Iridium a natural fit for maritime asset tracking, remote environmental and agricultural monitoring, and global logistics and supply chain visibility - anywhere a device needs to phone home, no matter where on the planet it ends up.
And like the rest of the Blues satellite lineup, Starnote for Iridium is designed to challenge the assumption that global satellite connectivity demands expensive hardware and mandatory monthly fees, even when your devices aren't actively transmitting.
tipNot sure which satellite option is right for your design? See Choosing Between Skylo and Iridium to compare coverage, cost, and form factor.
How Starnote for Iridium Works
Starnote for Iridium is a Notecard accessory, meaning it needs to be used alongside a Notecard. It's compatible with all Notecard Cellular, Notecard Cell+WiFi, and Notecard WiFi devices. From a developer's point of view, Starnote for Iridium simply operates as an additional radio access technology (RAT) for Notecard.
That means you keep using the same JSON-based API you already know. You use the card.transport API to specify when Notecard should fall back to satellite, and Notecard handles all the communication between itself and Starnote for Iridium.
For example, with this command:
{
"req": "card.transport",
"method": "cell-ntn"
}You tell Notecard to prioritize cellular and, when cellular isn't available,
fall back to Iridium's satellite network for both uplink and downlink. If you're
using a Notecard Cell+WiFi, "method": "wifi-cell-ntn" adds WiFi as the
preferred first option.
noteRead about how to get started with Starnote for Iridium and consult additional Satellite Best Practices to keep your data usage lean.
Key Starnote for Iridium Highlights
Here's a quick look at what makes Starnote for Iridium stand out:
Truly Global Coverage
Starnote for Iridium provides blanket satellite coverage globally via the Iridium constellation - including oceans, polar regions, and remote areas that terrestrial and regional networks simply can't reach.
Bundled Data, No Monthly Fees
Every Starnote for Iridium ships with 10KB of bundled satellite uplink and downlink data. This is enough to send roughly one message per day for six months. There are no satellite provider subscriptions, no activation step, and no monthly minimums. When your application needs to fall back to satellite, it's ready. Additional data is priced at $0.00075/byte, with a minimum of 10 bytes per transmitted or received packet, billed monthly in arrears.
Same Developer Experience
If you've used a Notecard before, you already know how to use Starnote for
Iridium! Your note.add, hub.sync, and card.* APIs work exactly as they
always have - the only change is telling Notecard when to fall back to
satellite. Data flows to Blues Notehub and routes to your
cloud of choice.
Zero-Touch Satellite Modem
Starnote for Iridium provides an NTN-capable satellite modem with zero-touch configuration. It communicates with Notecard over UART using Notecard's JSON command interface, and ships with a pre-certified Iridium helical antenna that attaches via an onboard u.FL connector.
warningStarnote for Iridium is certified on Iridium's network exclusively with the included antenna. Using a different antenna means Iridium classifies the device as uncertified and may block it. If you need to pursue certification with a different antenna, reach out to Blues for guidance.
Meet Notecarrier XI
Starnote for Iridium requires the new Notecarrier XI (CARR-XI), the companion Notecarrier that provides a platform for prototyping with satellite failover. It includes two M.2 Key E connector sockets (one for Notecard, one for Starnote for Iridium) plus the internal connectivity for Notecard-to-Starnote communication, so the two boards work together out of the box.
Notecarrier XI is built for real-world use:
- Two M.2 Key E sockets with mounting screw receptacles - one for Notecard, one for Starnote for Iridium.
- USB-C to power the board and provide a USB serial command interface to Notecard.
- On-board cellular antenna from Ignion (NN03-310), so Notecard's cellular radio is ready without an external antenna.
- 2-pin JST PH connectors for solar and LiPo battery power, with onboard charging support.
- Onboard supercapacitors sized to supply Starnote for Iridium's satellite modem during high-current transmit bursts.
- Qwiic / STEMMA QT I2C port for attaching external peripherals and host MCUs.
- External Nano-SIM slot for an optional secondary SIM.
The Starnote for Iridium Starter Kit
Want the fastest path from unboxing to first satellite message? The Starnote for Iridium Starter Kit bundles everything you need to add global satellite failover to your IoT solution:
- Starnote for Iridium
- Notecard Cell+WiFi (MBGLW - global LTE Cat-1 bis)
- Notecarrier XI
- Iridium helical satellite antenna
- 5000 mAh LiPo battery
Drop the boards together, attach the antenna and battery, and you have a self-contained, solar-ready prototyping platform with cellular, WiFi, and global satellite connectivity.
Get Started Today
Starnote for Iridium, Notecarrier XI, and the Starnote for Iridium Starter Kit are available now in the Blues store. If you're already building with Blues, adding global satellite failover is as simple as connecting a Starnote for Iridium to your existing Notecard and making a small firmware change. If you're new to the platform, there's never been a better time to start building connected products that work anywhere on Earth.
We can't wait to see what you build with Starnote for Iridium. 💙
