GOOD morning!!
NEW YORK, New York, March 15, 1999 - Globalstar (NASDAQ:GSTRF) today announced the successful launch of an additional four low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites into space, bringing the total number of Globalstar satellites that have been successfully launched to 16. Globalstar's satellites, manufactured by prime contractor Space Systems/Loral, were launched on March 14, at 10:06 p.m. EST aboard a Soyuz-Ikar launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan..
All four Globalstar satellites were separated from the upper stage at an altitude of 920 kilometers above the Earth by 1:37 a.m. EST on March 15. Engineers at Globalstar's ground control center in San Jose, Calif., subsequently acquired the satellites using the six Globalstar telemetry command unit gateways located in Aussaguel, France; Yeoju, South Korea; Dubbo, Australia; Bosque Allegre, Argentina; Delareyville, South Africa; and Clifton, Texas.
"The flawless execution of Globalstar's second Soyuz launch further reinforces our confidence in the reliability and robustness of our launch campaign,"said Bernard L. Schwartz, chairman and chief executive officer of Globalstar. "We have scheduled an additional nine launches for Globalstar this year, each carrying four satellites, on both Soyuz and Delta rockets.
"We are more than satisfied with the results of tests conducted on the satellites previously launched -- their performance has exceeded our expectations,"Mr. Schwartz continued, "and we look forward to initiating commercial service in the fall."
The Soyuz-Ikar launch vehicle is manufactured by Starsem, of Paris, France, a joint venture created in 1996 by Aerospatiale, Arianespace, the Russian space agency RKA and Russia's Samara-based space center TsSKB-Progress Soyuz.
The company's completed constellation will comprise 48 satellites, plus four on-orbit spares, all launched by the end of 1999. This will provide complete coverage for Globalstar's fixed-phone and hand-held mobile satellite phone services, as well as data transmission (at up to 9.6 kilobits per second), messaging, facsimile and position location services.
The Globalstar system is designed to provide affordable satellite-based digital voice services to a broad range of subscribers and users. Globalstar will meet the needs of cellular users and global travelers who roam outside of coverage areas, as well as residents of under-served markets who will use Globalstar's fixed-site phones to satisfy their needs for basic telephony.
Globalstar, led by founding partner Loral Space & Communications, is a partnership of the world's leading telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers, including Qualcomm Incorporated, AirTouch Communications, Alcatel, Alenia, China Telecom (HK), DACOM, Daimler-Benz Aerospace, Elsacom (a Finmeccanica/Elsag Bailey Company), France Telecom, Hyundai, Space Systems/Loral and Vodafone. For more information, visit Globalstar's web site at www.globalstar.com.
Loral Space & Communications (NYSE:LOR) is a high technology company that primarily concentrates on satellite manufacturing and satellite-based services, including broadcast transponder leasing and value-added services, domestic and international corporate data networks, global wireless telephony, broadband data transmission and content services, Internet services, and international direct-to-home satellite services. For more information, visit Loral's web site at www.loral.com.
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