Four more Globalstar worldwide mobile communications satellites are in orbit following their launch aboard the second Starsem Soyuz-Ikar booster from Baikonur on 15 March.
Starsem is a consortium involving Samara of Russia, Arianespace and Aerospatiale of France.
The flight followed the first Starsem Soyuz launch on 9 February carrying four Globalstars (Flight International, 17-23 February). Sixteen of the satellites are now in orbit - after two Delta II and two Soyuz launches each - as Globalstar moves towards establishing a constellation of 48 operational orbiting satellites.
Space Systems/Loral, which heads the international consortium that builds the Globalstars and is the leading shareholder in the Globalstar company, plans nine more launches this year, on Delta II and Soyuz boosters.
Source: Flight International
