US Gov’t Approves Globalstar’s Transport of 8 Satellites for Pre-Launch Preparation

MILPITAS, Calif., Aug. 9, 2006/Satnews Daily/ ― Globalstar, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has received the US Government approvals needed to export its eight spare satellites to Europe for continued pre-launch preparations.

The satellites, which recently completed initial post storage tests at the Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) facility in Palo Alto, California, are now being prepared for shipment to an Alcatel Alenia Space facility in Italy where they will undergo additional validation testing.

The satellites are ground spares for the company's first generation LEO (low earth orbit) satellite constellation, which is used to provide mobile satellite voice and data services to Globalstar customers around the world.

Jay Monroe, chairman and CEO of Globalstar, said prime contractor SS/L as well as Alcatel were both integral to the successful launch of the first generation Globalstar constellation adding he is delighted that they are once again supporting our spare satellite preparations.

From 1998 to 2000, SS/L delivered the Globalstar satellites in-orbit for the company's LEO satellite constellation. The in-orbit satellites along with the eight ground spares, were originally assembled, integrated and tested in Rome, Italy by Alcatel Alenia Space. SS/L is now coordinating with the former Globalstar satellite production partners Alcatel Alenia Space and EADS Astrium to prepare the spare satellites for launch.

Globalstar has a firm contract with Starsem for the launch of the eight spare satellites. Starsem uses the Soyuz booster to send customer payloads into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

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