Iridium Satellite Phone in Space

Found an article about updates of what the latest news is on the International Space Station. Was quite interesting to see that they are carrying an Iridium 9505a satellite phone.

"It was time again for the Russian Flight Engineer for recharging the Motorola Iridium-9505A satellite phone located in Soyuz TMA-16/20S (at SM aft), a monthly routine job and Maxim’s third time. [After retrieving it from its location in the spacecraft Descent Modules (BO), Maxim initiated the recharge of the lithium-ion battery, monitoring the process every 10-15 minutes as it took place. Upon completion, the phone was returned inside its SSSP Iridium kits and stowed back in the BO’s ODF (operational data files) container. The satphone accompanies returning ISS crews on Soyuz reentry & landing for contingency communications with SAR (Search-and-Rescue) personnel after touchdown (e.g., after an “undershoot” ballistic reentry, as happened during the 15S return). The Russian-developed procedure for the monthly recharging has been approved jointly by safety officials. During the procedure, the phone is left in its fire-protective fluoroplastic bag with open flap. The Iridium 9505A satphone uses the Iridium constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites to relay the landed Soyuz capsule's GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates to helicopter-borne recovery crews. The older Iridium-9505 phones were first put onboard Soyuz in August 2003. The newer 9505A phone, currently in use, delivers 30 hours of standby time and three hours of talk, up from 20 and two hours, respectively, on the older units.]"

Source: Spaceref