Globalstar [SSL]
Official name GLOBALSTAR M068
Alternative name Globalstar M068
Cospar ID 2007-048D
Norad ID 32266
Launch date 2007-10-20
Launch site TTMTR
Launch vehicle Soyuz-FG Fregat
Country/Organization USA
Type application Communication
Operator Globalstar
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 114.03
Inclination (deg) 51.99
Perigee (km) 1410
Apogee (km) 1413
Eccentricity 0.00106269925611052
Mean motion (revs. per day) 12.6282557221784
Semi-Major axis (km) 7789.635
Raan (deg) 10.1971
Arg of perigee (deg) 82.4795
Shape Box + 2 Pan
Mass (kg) 715
Height (m) 4
Width (m) 0.6
Depth (m) 12
Span (m^2) 12
Lifetime 7.5 years
Contractors Alenia Spazio, Space Systems/Loral (Bus)
Equipment ?
Propulsion ?
Configuration LS-400
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

The Globalstar global mobile communications network offers global, digital real time voice, data and fax via a constellation of 48 minisatellites. The constellation operates in a 1410 km orbit inclined at 52 degrees, and will also have 8 spares. The satellites were built by Space Systems Loral and Alenia Aerospazio in Rome, Italy.

More than 10 major companies have invested US$ 2.6b (1998), and include Loral (39%), Qualcomm inc., AirTouch communications, Alcatel, DACOM, Daimler Benz Aerospace, Hyundai, Elsacomm, China Telecom (HK), Vodaphone and France Telecom.

The satellites are based on the SS/Loral LS-400 platform, with the body is trapezoidal in shape with two deployed solar panels, in order to allow multiple satellites to be carried on the same launch. The satellite is 3-axis stabilized and employs magnetometers on a deployable boom, sun sensors, GPS as attitude sensors, and carries two deployable solar arrays delivering 1100 W for normal operations. The propulsion system employs hydrazine, and its primary use is station keeping. Each satellite weighs 450 kg, with a dry mass of 350 kg, and is designed for a 7.5 year lifetime. The payload antennas are phased arrays mounted on the satellite body. The Attitude control, orbit control and solar panels were delivered by Dornier (Ger).

The spacecraft employ secure links to control station (C-band 6875-7055 MHz), and handsets (16 cells L-band 1610-1626.5 MHz up, 16 cells S-band 2483.5-2500 MHz down). CDMA is employed, and data rates of up to 9600 bps are supported on terminals.

Globalstar has been launched in clusters using Delta-7420-10C, Zenit-2, and Soyuz-U Ikar.

Spacecraft are operated from a San Jose Ca. control centre, and more than 60 further stations support the system as gateways, which cover a radius of approximately 2000 km. Fixed and vehicle mounted terminals are supported by the system, as well as standard hand-held phones.

Operational service was started in the third Quarter of 1999.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
GLOBALSTAR M001 1998-008A 1998-02-14 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M002, 3, 4
GLOBALSTAR M004 1998-008B 1998-02-14 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M001, 2, 3
GLOBALSTAR M002 1998-008C 1998-02-14 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M001, 3, 4
GLOBALSTAR M003 1998-008D 1998-02-14 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M001, 2, 4
GLOBALSTAR M014 1998-023A 1998-04-24 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M006, 8, 15
GLOBALSTAR M006 1998-023B 1998-04-24 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M008, 14, 15
GLOBALSTAR M015 1998-023C 1998-04-24 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M006, 8, 14
GLOBALSTAR M008 1998-023D 1998-04-24 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M006, 14, 15
GLOBALSTAR M023 1999-004A 1999-02-09 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M036, 38, 40
GLOBALSTAR M040 1999-004B 1999-02-09 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M023, 36, 38
GLOBALSTAR M036 1999-004C 1999-02-09 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M023, 38, 40
GLOBALSTAR M038 1999-004D 1999-02-09 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M023, 36, 40
GLOBALSTAR M022 1999-012A 1999-03-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M037, 41, 46
GLOBALSTAR M041 1999-012B 1999-03-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M022, 37, 46
GLOBALSTAR M046 1999-012C 1999-03-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M022, 37, 41
GLOBALSTAR M037 1999-012D 1999-03-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M022, 41, 46
GLOBALSTAR M045 1999-019A 1999-04-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M019, 42, 44
GLOBALSTAR M019 1999-019B 1999-04-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M042, 44, 45
GLOBALSTAR M044 1999-019C 1999-04-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M019, 42, 45
GLOBALSTAR M042 1999-019D 1999-04-15 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M019, 44, 45
GLOBALSTAR M025 1999-031A 1999-06-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M047, 49, 52
GLOBALSTAR M049 1999-031B 1999-06-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M025, 47, 52
GLOBALSTAR M047 1999-031C 1999-06-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M025, 49, 52
GLOBALSTAR M052 1999-031D 1999-06-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M025, 47, 49
GLOBALSTAR M035 1999-037A 1999-07-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M030, 32, 51
GLOBALSTAR M032 1999-037B 1999-07-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M030, 35, 51
GLOBALSTAR M051 1999-037C 1999-07-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M030, 32, 35
GLOBALSTAR M030 1999-037D 1999-07-10 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M032, 35, 51
GLOBALSTAR M048 1999-041A 1999-07-25 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M026, 28, 43
GLOBALSTAR M026 1999-041B 1999-07-25 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M028, 43, 48
GLOBALSTAR M043 1999-041C 1999-07-25 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M026, 28, 48
GLOBALSTAR M028 1999-041D 1999-07-25 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M026, 43, 48
GLOBALSTAR M024 1999-043A 1999-08-17 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M027, 53, 54
GLOBALSTAR M027 1999-043B 1999-08-17 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M024, 53, 54
GLOBALSTAR M054 1999-043C 1999-08-17 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M024, 27, 53
GLOBALSTAR M053 1999-043D 1999-08-17 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M024, 27, 54
GLOBALSTAR M058 1999-049A 1999-09-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M033, 50, 55
GLOBALSTAR M050 1999-049B 1999-09-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M033, 55, 58
GLOBALSTAR M033 1999-049C 1999-09-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M050, 55, 58
GLOBALSTAR M055 1999-049D 1999-09-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M033, 50, 58
GLOBALSTAR M057 1999-058A 1999-10-18 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M031, 56, 59
GLOBALSTAR M059 1999-058B 1999-10-18 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M031, 56, 57
GLOBALSTAR M056 1999-058C 1999-10-18 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M031, 57, 59
GLOBALSTAR M031 1999-058D 1999-10-18 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M056, 57, 59
GLOBALSTAR M039 1999-062A 1999-11-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M029, 34, 61
GLOBALSTAR M034 1999-062B 1999-11-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M029, 39, 61
GLOBALSTAR M029 1999-062C 1999-11-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M034, 39, 61
GLOBALSTAR M061 1999-062D 1999-11-22 TTMTR Soyuz-U Ikar with Globalstar M029, 34, 39
GLOBALSTAR M063 2000-008A 2000-02-08 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M060, 62, 64
GLOBALSTAR M062 2000-008B 2000-02-08 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M060, 63, 64
GLOBALSTAR M060 2000-008C 2000-02-08 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M062, 63, 64
GLOBALSTAR M064 2000-008D 2000-02-08 AFETR Delta-7420-10C with Globalstar M060, 62, 63
GLOBALSTAR M065 2007-020A 2007-05-29 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M069, 71, 72
GLOBALSTAR M069 2007-020C 2007-05-29 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M065, 71, 72
GLOBALSTAR M072 2007-020D 2007-05-29 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M065, 69, 71
GLOBALSTAR M071 2007-020F 2007-05-29 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M065, 69, 72
GLOBALSTAR M067 2007-048A 2007-10-20 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M066, 68, 70
GLOBALSTAR M070 2007-048B 2007-10-20 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M066, 67, 68
GLOBALSTAR M066 2007-048C 2007-10-20 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M067, 68, 70
GLOBALSTAR M068 2007-048D 2007-10-20 TTMTR Soyuz-FG Fregat with Globalstar M066, 67, 70