Ninth Successful Launch Brings Globalstar Satellite Constellation to 36: Current Constellation Will Support Phased Roll-out of Service This Autumn - Company Business and Marketing

Cambridge Telcom Report, August 23, 1999

Globalstar Tuesday announced the successful launch of an additional four low-earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites, bringing the total number of Globalstar satellites now in space to 36.

The latest four Globalstar satellites, manufactured by prime contractor Space Systems/Loral, were launched Tuesday at 12:37 a.m. EDT aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from the Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida.

The Globalstar system, which can initiate service with as few as 32 satellites in orbit - a level reached last month -- will launch another 16 satellites to complete its planned constellation of 48 satellites and four in-orbit spares by year end. Three launches - in September, October and November - will take place on Soyuz launch vehicles from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakahstan. The Soyuz rocket was used successfully earlier this year for three launches of four satellites each. The final four satellites to be launched this year will be aboard a Delta II rocket in December.

"We continue to move forward on all fronts towards the regional roll-out of service this fall," said Bernard L. Schwartz, chairman and chief executive officer of Globalstar. "The space and ground segment deployment is progressing, testing of the system is continuing, and marketing strategies are in place for service introduction."

The Globalstar satellites on Tuesday's launch were separated in pairs from the upper stage of the Delta II rocket at an altitude of 1370 kilometers (851 miles) above the Earth. Flight 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, Yeoju, South Korea, Dubbo, Australia; Bosque Allegre, Argentina; Delareyville, South Africa; and Clifton, Texas. During the next two weeks, Globalstar engineering teams will raise these satellites to their operational altitude of 1,414 kilometers (877 miles). 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 cellular 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 Alenia, China Telecom (HK), DACOM, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, Elsacom (a Finmeccanica Company), Hyundai, Qualcomm Incorporated, TE.SA.M (a France Telecom/Alcatel company), Space Systems/Loral, and Vodafone AirTouch. For more information, visit Globalstar's web site at www.globalstar.com.

Loral Space & Communications is the managing partner and, at 42 percent, is the largest equity owner of Globalstar. Loral 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.