February 09, 1999 03:34
Third Successful Launch Adds Four Satellites to Globalstar Constellation
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 1999--Globalstar (NASDAQ:GSTRF) announced today the successful simultaneous launch of four of its low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites into space, bringing to 12 the total number of Globalstar satellites now in orbit. Globalstar's satellites, manufactured by prime contractor Space Systems/Loral, were launched on February 8, at 10:54 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 approximately three-and-a-half hours later (2:24 a.m. EST, February 9). Engineers at Globalstar's ground operations control center (GOCC) in San Jose, Calif., subsequently acquired the satellites' signals using the five Globalstar telemetry command unit gateways located in Aussaguel, France; Yeoju, South Korea; Dubbo, Australia; Bosque Allegre, Argentina; and Clifton, Texas.
During the next several weeks, Globalstar engineering teams will raise the satellites to their operational altitude of 1,414 kilometers. The four newly launched satellites will be placed in a plane adjacent to the two in which eight satellites are already in orbit.
"This launch adds significantly to Globalstar's space segment and brings us closer to the initiation of commercial service scheduled for the third quarter of 1999," said Bernard L. Schwartz, chairman and chief executive officer of Globalstar and of Loral Space & Communications, Globalstar's largest equity owner.
"The hardware and software in our space and ground systems functioned flawlessly throughout the launch process," Mr. Schwartz continued, "managed by our skilled and dedicated teams in Baikonur and San Jose. We are confident that the balance of our launch campaign, with roughly one launch per month through the end of this year, will be equally successful." Globalstar plans to have at least 32 satellites in orbit in order to start commercial service in the third quarter of 1999, and to have 52 satellites in space by the end of 1999.
The Soyuz-Ikar launch vehicle is manufactured by Starsem, 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.
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 low-cost, 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 has previously launched into orbit. Globalstar now has service provider agreements in more than 100 countries, covering 90 percent of Globalstar's business plan. Six 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, 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
CONTACT: Globalstar
Jeanette Clonan
(212) 338-5658
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