Globalstar, Inc., a provider of mobile satellite voice and data services to businesses, government, and individuals, has accepted two new second-generation satellites from manufacturer Thales Alenia Space.

 According to the press release, Globalstar officials authorized acceptance of the new satellites at the Thales (News - Alert) Alenia Space satellite manufacturing facility in Rome. The company expects to take delivery of four additional satellites in early 2011, and all six satellites will then be shipped to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. There they will undergo preparations and testing for launch using the highly reliable Soyuz launch vehicle. In October, Globalstar (News - Alert) successfully launched six new second-generation satellites using the Soyuz.

The new satellites are designed to support Globalstar's current lineup of voice, Duplex and Simplex data products and services including the company's lineup of SPOT retail consumer products. The advanced constellation combined with the company's next-generation ground network, expected to be installed by 2012, is designed to provide Globalstar customers with enhanced future services featuring increased data speeds of up to 256 kbps in a flexible Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) configuration.

Tony Navarra, president of Global Operations for Globalstar, Inc., said that today's satellite delivery once again represents another milestone achievement for our second-generation satellite operations. He applauds the company’s highly skilled global operations employees as well as those at Thales Alenia Space.

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. In 2007, Globalstar contracted with launch services provider Arianespace (News - Alert) for a total of four launches of six satellites each using the Soyuz. Globalstar plans to integrate the 24 new second-generation satellites with the eight first-generation satellites that were launched in 2007, to form a 32 satellite constellation.