Honeywell’s new Aspire 150 and 350 are designed to offer airborne connectivity via Iridium’s Next satellite constellation. Lighter and smaller than previous-generation Aspire hardware, the 150 and 350, announced at the Aircraft Electronics Association conference, are also equipped with a built-in router.

Iridium’s new Certus high-speed service is set to begin operating after the network’s satellites finish launching this year. An advantage of Iridium is that it provides global coverage, even over polar regions where Ku- and Ka-band satcom lacks coverage. Iridium satcoms also require smaller antennas, making them easier to install on aircraft that aren’t suitable for larger antennas. Certus will eventually offer speed up to 1.4 Mbps.

The Aspire 350 can be installed now and use the existing Iridium network until Certus enters service. It has a separate modem and antenna for cockpit safety services and can be used for FANS, ACARS, and air traffic control secure voice. Additionally, the 350 can be installed along with other satcom systems, and each can act as a backup for the other.

Both the Aspire 150 and 350 allow use of Honeywell’s GoDirect software to manage cabin connectivity services and usage to help operators keep usage costs down. Honeywell did not provide any pricing information for Aspire 150 and 350 hardware and airtime service, but said “operators can reduce costs by up to 30 percent compared with legacy satellite communications offerings.”