Tim Furniss/LONDON
Starsem launched another Soyuz-Ikar booster from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, on 18 October, carrying four more Globalstar satellites into orbit, bringing the total to 44.
Starsem, the Aerospatiale Matra, Arianespace, Russian Space Agency and Samara Space Centre company, plans another launch next month, carrying another four Globalstars.
The operational fleet will consist of 48 satellites and six in-orbit spares. More launches are planned next year. Globalstar expects to reach quarterly net profits of $450 million by early 2001, with 1 million subscribers to its worldwide satellite-based mobile telephone system. The company aims to increase that figure to 3 million by 2003. Estimated profits for 2002 are $2.1 billion.
The company plans to supply up to 60,000 handsets a month by the end of the year, provided by Ericsson, Telital and Qualcomm. The handset providers are more cautious about the business claims and the production rate has not matched the communications company's estimates. Qualcomm's reported output is 10,000 a month and Telital produces 8,000 units.
Globalstar has $3.9 billion funding from bank loans, an equity listing and vendor funds.
The company offers handsets for up to $1,500 and desktop units and fixed payphones, supported by service providers worldwide.
Meanwhile, beleaguered rival ICO Global Communications has received "non-binding letters of intent for debtor possession financing from strategic investors in excess of $225 million, the amount needed to finance the company's immediate cash needs". ICO has cut its financing requirements by almost 30% to $1.2 billion as a result of a new business and financing plan.
The company filed for bankruptcy in August after raising $3 billion but failing to attract the extra $1.7 billion it required (Flight International, 25-31 August).
ICO believes it can start its global mobile communications satellite service in April 2001, seven months later than planned. The first launch of a projected 10-satellite fleet is set for January.
The company expects to have only 100,000 customers after one year of service compared with the original estimate of 3 million when the project was launched.
ICO's new chief executive, Richard Greco, is launching a more "credible" business strategy, which is not based on the roaming business traveller market.
The delay in introducing the ICO service will increase the start-up costs to more than $5 billion, analysts estimate. This compares with the predicted total start-up cost of $4.7 billion.
Meanwhile, a partnership between Teledesic and the bankrupt Iridium mobile communications satellite system could be possible.
Teledesic, which is to launch 288 Internet-in-the-sky satellites by 2004, is exploring its "early market entry strategy". Part of this is a business and technical review with its partner, Motorola.
Source: Flight International
