BW1002 DEC 05,1996 2:01 PACIFIC 05:01 EASTERN
( BW)(SPACE-SYSTEMS/LORAL)(LOR) Space Systems/Loral signs an
agreement with Starsem to launch 12 Globalstar satellites
Business Editors
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 5, 1996--Space
Systems/Loral, a Loral Space & Communications Ltd. company
(NYSE:LOR), announced today an agreement with Starsem S.A. to launch
12 Globalstar satellites aboard three Soyuz-Icare Launch Vehicles in
late 1998.
The agreement, which was signed on December 3, includes three
firm launches on the Soyuz-Icare launcher from the Baikonur Space
Center in Kazakhstan and eight optional launches. The vehicle is a
member of the Soyuz family of launch vehicles, one of the most
reliable launchers in the world, having been launched successfully
more than 1500 times including manned flights. The Soyuz-Icare type
launcher uses the Icare stage that has been specifically designed for
placing satellite constellations into orbit.
Robert E. Berry, president of Space Systems/Loral, said, "Our
agreement with Starsem ensures that the last twelve satellites for
the Globalstar constellation will be placed into orbit from the same
launch base as our Zenit launches. Additionally, using the
well-known Soyuz vehicle that the Starsem company now offers
reinforces Space Systems/Loral's commitment to leveraging
capabilities from space technology leaders across Europe."
Starsem president and chief executive officer, Fran ois Calaque,
commented, "This agreement with Space Systems/Loral, one of the
world's biggest communications companies, strengthens the cooperation
between Europe and Russia and shows that we can win in a very
competitive environment. It also will enable Starsem to participate
with Globalstar in the development of world telecommunications
services using satellite constellations."
Starsem S.A. was founded on August 6, 1996. The main
shareholders are RKA, the Russian Space Agency; Samara Space Center,
the Russian State Center for Research and Construction of Launch and
Space Vehicles; Aerospatiale and Arianespace.
Globalstar (NASDAQ:GSTRF) is a low-earth orbit satellite- based
telecommunications system founded by Loral Space & Communications
Ltd. and QUALCOMM Incorporated, that will offer low-cost, high
quality global telephony and other digital telecommunications
services to areas currently undeserved or not served by existing
wireline and cellular systems.
Prior to the Soyuz launches in 1998, the first eight Globalstar
satellites are scheduled on two launches during the second half of
1997 from Cape Canaveral, Fla., aboard the two- stage Delta II Launch
Vehicle provided by McDonnell Douglas and an additional 36 Globalstar
satellites will be launched by 1998 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in
Kazakhstan on three Zenit-2 Launch Vehicles offered by NPO Yuzhnoye.
Globalstar will begin commercial service in 1998. The total number
of satellites to be launched is 56 satellites, which includes eight
in-orbit spares.
Space Systems/Loral is a full-service provider of commercial
communications satellite systems and services, including launch
services and insurance procurement and mission operations from its
mission control center in Palo Alto, Calif. SS/L currently has a
total backlog of more than 75 spacecraft. The company is the prime
contractor for Globalstar's 56 low-earth orbit satellites, TCI/Tempo,
PanAmSat 6, L-STAR and MCI direct broadcast satellites, the nine
satellites in the INTELSAT VII series, N-STAR, Mabuhay, APSTAR-IIR,
TELSTAR-5, PanAmSat 7 & 8 and M2A communications satellites, as well
as the latest series of weather-watch satellites, GOES (Geostationary
Operational Environmental Satellite), and the Japanese MTSAT, the
next- generation Japanese air traffic control and weather-watch
satellite.
Loral Space & Communications Ltd., headquartered in New York
City, is a high-technology company that primarily concentrates in
space and telecommunications. Loral manages and is the largest
equity owner of both Globalstar and Space Systems/Loral.
--30--MEM/ny*
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