Globalstar Opens 90-Day Launch Window for Second-Generation Satellites

Globalstar, Inc., a provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, governments, and consumers, has opened a 90-day launch window for the inaugural lift-off of six Globalstar second-generation satellites.
 




 
Officials with Globalstar said that this marks the first in a series of launches the company is planning to upgrade its low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.Company officials said that four launches of six satellites per launch are planned with the first expected in the September 2010 or early October timeframe.
 
The satellites will be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan using Soyuz launch vehicle, the same vehicle used to launch astronauts and cosmonauts to the international space station and to successfully launch Globalstar satellites on eight previous occasions.
 


President of global operations for Globalstar, Tony Navarra said that Globalstar is on schedule to become the world's first LEO global mobile satellite voice and data company to deliver and deploy a second-generation satellite constellation, giving the company up to a six-year competitive advantage over primary competitor.
 
Company officials said that the new satellites are designed to be fully compatible with Globalstar's current suite of first-generation mobile satellite products and services.
Once the new satellites are in operational orbit, the most immediate impact will be on those Globalstar customers who use the company's current voice and duplex data services.
 
With each of the four launches, these customers can expect progressive improvement in reliability and overall service quality.