Press release. Globalstar Schedules February Launch From Baikonur; Technology Safeguards Agreement Signed
Business Wire - January 26, 1999 11:11
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--January 26, 1999--Globalstar
(NASDAQ:GSTRF) announced today that it expects a Soyuz launch of
four Globalstar satellites to occur by or before mid-February, following
today's signing of the Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) by the
United States, Russia and Kazakhstan. The TSA is a comprehensive
trilateral agreement governing the conditions under which U.S. satellites
can be launched from Baikonur.
"We're pleased that the TSA is now in place," said Bernard L. Schwartz,
chairman and chief executive officer of Globalstar. "This allows us to
resume our launch campaign with our first Soyuz launch. Our satellites
have been fueled and mated to the dispenser, and the launch readiness
review team, which includes outside experts, reports a 'go' condition for
the Soyuz-Ikar vehicle.
"With the resumption of our schedule, we will launch four satellites
roughly every 30 days," Mr. Schwartz continued. "This will result in 32
satellites in orbit by the summer of 1999 and enable a September 1999
start of commercial service. A total of 52 satellites, 48 in operation plus
four in-orbit spares, will be in orbit by December 1999.
"Our confidence is reinforced by a robust backup plan of launch slots
and satellites," Mr. Schwartz said.
Globalstar's launch readiness teams have been conducting ground
processing work since early January. The teams had been able to fuel
and mate the Globalstar satellites to the dispenser, but until the TSA was
signed, they were unable to engage in joint operations with the Russian
launch teams at Baikonur or begin integration of the dispenser system
onto the Russian-built Ikar upper stage.
Following the February launch, three more Soyuz launches, each carrying
four satellites, will take place through April. These will be followed by a
series of three Delta II launches, each carrying four satellites, between
May and August, two additional Soyuz launches in September and
October, and two more Delta II launches in November and December.
To further bolster an already robust launch back-up capability,
Globalstar recently awarded a satellite launch contract to Arianespace of
Evry, France, for the launch of six Globalstar satellites aboard an
Ariane-4 rocket. If the Ariane-4 launch, currently slated for September
1999 from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, is not
required at that time to complete the Globalstar constellation, it will be
reassigned by Loral to another mission.
Globalstar is the next generation provider of mobile satellite personal
communications services. The Globalstar system, comprising 48
low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites and a global network of ground stations,
will provide people around the world with 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.
Globalstar is designed to provide cost-effective, high quality mobile
satellite services to customers around the world. Its use of advanced
CDMA technology ensures superior voice quality, and its system routes
calls through multiple satellites simultaneously, minimizing dropped calls
and maximizing completed calls. Globalstar has been conducting handset
tests since April 1998 via the eight satellites it currently has in orbit, and
expects to begin the progressive roll-out of commercial services in the
third quarter of 1999.
Globalstar now has service provider agreements in more than 100
countries, covering 90 percent of Globalstar's business plan. Five
Globalstar gateways are being used to control and test the satellite
system, and site work and construction is under way at 20 more gateway
sites around the world.
Globalstar, led by founding partner Loral Space & Communications, is a
partnership of the world's leading telecommunications service providers
and equipment manufacturers, and includes 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.
CONTACT: Jeanette Clonan
(212) 338-5658
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