Globalstar to get second generation satellites

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 11 October 2006 15:45

Business IT - Networking

Globalstar, operator of a network of low earth orbit satellite providing mobile voice and data communications throughout the world, has signed an initial agreement with Alcatel Alenia Space for a second generation of 48 new leosats.

The two companies have signed a Euro7.7 million authorisation to proceed agreement and plan to sign a definitive contract  to construct the satellites within a month.

The second-generation constellation will be designed to operate until at least 2025 and to seamlessly integrate with Globalstar's current constellation of leosats but be able to support significantly higher data speeds and other new services to the handheld devices.

As a contractor for the first generation of Globalstar satellites, Alcatel Alenia Space was responsible for the satellite payloads, structure and satellite integration. The company was also responsible for manufacturing and installing the Globalstar ground segment gateway antenna terminals.

Globalstar, like its contemporary and competitor Iridium was conceived in the early 1990s and came to fruition in the late nineties only to fall on hard times and be rescued by new shareholders who, freed  from the massive debt of the original owners were able to make the ventures successful.

The revamped Iridium recently posted a 25.4 percent increase in subscribers and a 31.4 percent increase in revenues in the second quarter of 2006, when compared to the same period of 2005.