I generally hear about Iridium as a second-generation success. The fact that the company that currently owns it is looking at putting up a new network (at a cost of perhaps $3 billion) shows that the idea wasn't a foolish one.

But like some great ideas it takes a trailblazer to burn themselves up in the trailblazing process.

Another example in this context is the Panama canal. Or various railways companies. Or possibly the Segway (still waiting for the second generation owner on that one).