Globalstar announced that the second launch of six new Globalstar satellites is scheduled for July 11, 2011 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Company also announced that engineers and technicians from launch
services provider Arianespace and satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space have completed fueling of the satellites and all six spacecraft have now been mated to the upper stage dispenser of the Soyuz launch vehicle.
The Soyuz is one of the world’s most reliable commercial launch vehicles. On October 19, 2010 a Soyuz booster was used to successfully launch six new Globalstar second-generation satellites. It was also successfully utilized on eight previous occasions to launch Globalstar’s first generation satellites. Later this year Globalstar plans to conduct two additional launches of six satellites per launch also using the Soyuz. The human-rated Soyuz launcher is used to transport astronauts and cosmonauts to the international space station.
“In less than three weeks we plan to complete the second of four launches of our second-generation satellite constellation,” said Tony Navarra, President, Global Operations for Globalstar, Inc. “Once the new constellation is fully deployed, we expect to once again reliably provide the world’s finest quality mobile satellite voice and fastest mobile satellite handset data services to commercial and government customers in more than 120 countries. Combined with our affordable and award-winning suite of consumer retail SPOT products, Globalstar will unquestionably offer the world’s most extensive lineup of high quality mobile satellite services to the broadest range of commercial and retail consumer customers around the globe.”
The Globalstar second-generation satellite constellation is designed to support the Company’s current lineup of voice, Duplex and Simplex data products and services including its lineup of SPOT retail consumer products. The new satellites are designed to last for 15 years, twice the lifespan of Globalstar’s first generation satellites.
For more information regarding Globalstar, please visit Globalstar’s web site at www.globalstar.com.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense
