COVINGTON, La., Dec. 28, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Globalstar, Inc. (Nasdaq:GSAT) today announced that six new second-generation Globalstar satellites were successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The Globalstar satellites were launched on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 11:09:02 p.m. local Baikonur time (5:09 p.m. UTC and 12:09 p.m. EST) using the Soyuz-Fregat version of the Soyuz launch vehicle. There have been more than 1780 successful launches of the Soyuz family launch vehicle.
Launch services provider Arianespace confirmed that the upper stage accurately injected the six second-generation satellites into the targeted low earth orbit of approximately 920 km. Globalstar reports that all six satellites have been successfully acquired following separation of the Fregat Upper Stage and release from the satellite dispenser. Globalstar has initiated satellite in-orbit testing and all six spacecraft are operating normally at this time.
"It is with great pleasure that we announce the successful third launch and continued deployment of our second-generation constellation," said Tony Navarra, President of Global Operations for Globalstar, Inc. "We are now only one launch away from completing our four second-generation satellite launches and we look forward to the future services our new constellation will support. With these six new satellites now safely in orbit, we once again congratulate and applaud all of our Globalstar employees world-wide and thank launch provider Arianespace as well as our satellite contractor Thales Alenia Space for this launch success."
Globalstar signed a contract with satellite manufacturer Thales Alenia Space in late 2006 for the design, manufacture and delivery of its second-generation constellation satellites. A total of four launches of six satellites each are being conducted by launch services provider Arianespace. The first launch was conducted in October 2010 and the second launch was completed in July of this year.
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.
Once the four launches are complete and the second-generation satellites are deployed, Globalstar expects to provide the world's finest quality mobile satellite voice and fastest mobile satellite handset data services to customers in more than 120 countries. Combined with its affordable suite of consumer retail SPOT products, Globalstar expects to 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.
About Globalstar, Inc.
Globalstar is a leading provider of mobile satellite voice and data services. Globalstar offers these services to commercial customers and recreational consumers in more than 120 countries around the world. The Company's products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, simplex and duplex satellite data modems, the SPOT family of mobile satellite consumer products including the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ and flexible airtime service packages. Many land based and maritime industries benefit from Globalstar with increased productivity from remote areas beyond cellular and landline service. Global customer segments include: oil and gas, government, mining, forestry, commercial fishing, utilities, military, transportation, heavy construction, emergency preparedness, and business continuity as well as individual recreational consumers. Globalstar data solutions are ideal for various asset and personal tracking, data monitoring and SCADA applications. All SPOT products described in Globalstar or SPOT LLC press releases are the products of Spot LLC, which is not affiliated in any manner with Spot Image of Toulouse, France or Spot Image Corporation of Chantilly, Virginia.
For more information regarding Globalstar, please visit Globalstar's web site at www.globalstar.com
The Globalstar, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8183
Safe Harbor Language for Globalstar Releases
This press release contains certain statements such as, "Once the four launches are complete and the second-generation satellite constellation is fully deployed, Globalstar expects to 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," that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, such as the statements regarding the Company's ability to develop and expand its business, its anticipated capital spending (including for future satellite procurements and launches), its ability to manage costs, its ability to exploit and respond to technological innovation, the effects of laws and regulations (including tax laws and regulations) and legal and regulatory changes, the opportunities for strategic business combinations and the effects of consolidation in its industry on the Company and its competitors, its anticipated future revenues, its anticipated financial resources, its expectations about the future operational performance of its satellites (including their projected operational lives), the expected strength of and growth prospects for the Company's existing customers and the markets that it serve, commercial acceptance of its new Simplex products, including its SPOT satellite GPS messenger TM products, problems relating to the ground-based facilities operated by the Company or its independent gateway operators, worldwide economic, geopolitical and business conditions and risks associated with doing business on a global basis and other statements contained in this release regarding matters that are not historical facts, involve predictions.
Any forward-looking statements made in this press release speak as of the date made and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results or developments may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, and Globalstar undertakes no obligation to update any such statements. Additional information on factors that could influence the Company's financial results is included in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.