Second Successful Soyuz Launch Adds Four Satellites to Globalstar Constellation -- One-third of Globalstar's Operational Space Segment Complete With Sixteen Satellites in Orbit
Business Wire - March 15, 1999 02:37
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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; Yeo Ju, 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
CONTACT: Globalstar
Jeanette Clonan
(212) 338-5658
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