Author Topic: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches  (Read 10500 times)

Offline Danderman

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Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« on: 12/17/2016 03:10 pm »
This is probably a painful topic, but some of the 2nd generation Globalstar satellites should be nearing their replacement lifetime, or simply suffering operational failures. Yet, I am not hearing about replacement launches being booked.  There should be news of at least one single launch contract.

Or is the plan to let the constellation sort of die out?


Offline gongora

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #1 on: 12/17/2016 03:25 pm »
If they started launching in 2010 and have 15-year design life, don't they still have a ways to go?

Offline Danderman

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #2 on: 01/11/2017 10:33 am »
Satellites can die immediately after launch, despite a nominal multi-year lifetime. The question is the health of the constellation, are all of the satellites functional?

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #3 on: 01/12/2017 03:21 pm »
Satellites can die immediately after launch, despite a nominal multi-year lifetime. The question is the health of the constellation, are all of the satellites functional?

some of the early ones had in orbit problems that delayed the launch of several companies satellites.
Globalstar 2G-87 and Globalstar 2G-98 through Globalstar 2G-120 have been procured at the parts level but have not been launched to date.
« Last Edit: 01/12/2017 03:25 pm by russianhalo117 »

Offline Danderman

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #4 on: 01/13/2017 05:21 pm »
Is the suggestion that the 2nd Generation Globalstar satellites in orbit are all operating perfectly so that there is no requirement for any to be replaced?

Is there any plan for replacing single satellites?

« Last Edit: 01/13/2017 05:21 pm by Danderman »

Offline Yiosie

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #5 on: 03/01/2022 11:33 pm »
At last, news regarding Globalstar replacement satellites:

Globalstar selects MDA and Rocket Lab for new satellites [dated Feb. 24]

Quote from: SpaceNews
Globalstar has selected MDA Ltd. and Rocket Lab to supply a set of satellites to replenish its constellation, funded by a mystery customer.

Globalstar said Feb. 24 it awarded a contract valued at $327 million to MDA to build 17 satellites intended to extend the life of the company’s existing satellite constellation, which provides messaging and internet-of-things services. The contract includes an option for up to nine additional satellites at $11.4 million each.

MDA, in turn, awarded a $143 million contract to Rocket Lab to provide the satellite buses. That contract includes options for additional satellites as well as satellite dispensers and launch integration.

“The combination of these vendors offered us the best overall balance of innovation, technical capability, schedule reliability and cost,” David Kagan, chief executive of Globalstar, said in a statement. “We look forward to beginning the process of bending metal and readying the new satellites for launch beginning in approximately three years.” Globalstar will contract for the launch of those satellites separately, with the expectation all will be launched by the end of 2025.

Offline Danderman

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #6 on: 03/07/2022 12:59 pm »
Does this mean that Rocket Labs is going to launch these new G* satellites?

Offline trimeta

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #7 on: 03/07/2022 02:33 pm »
Does this mean that Rocket Labs is going to launch these new G* satellites?

Depends whether you believe that Neutron will have had 2-3 commercial launches by the end of 2025. (Three launches if they still want to launch six satellites at a time, two if the smaller mass lets them put nine onto a single Neutron launch.) Or if you think the launch schedule will slip to the right slightly.

Offline Danderman

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #8 on: 03/08/2022 12:36 pm »
Does this mean that Rocket Labs is going to launch these new G* satellites?

Depends whether you believe that Neutron will have had 2-3 commercial launches by the end of 2025. (Three launches if they still want to launch six satellites at a time, two if the smaller mass lets them put nine onto a single Neutron launch.) Or if you think the launch schedule will slip to the right slightly.

What masses are you talking about? Is the mass of the Rocket Labs bus known?

Offline trimeta

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #9 on: 03/08/2022 03:46 pm »
Does this mean that Rocket Labs is going to launch these new G* satellites?

Depends whether you believe that Neutron will have had 2-3 commercial launches by the end of 2025. (Three launches if they still want to launch six satellites at a time, two if the smaller mass lets them put nine onto a single Neutron launch.) Or if you think the launch schedule will slip to the right slightly.

What masses are you talking about? Is the mass of the Rocket Labs bus known?

Per the Rocket Lab press release about getting the (sub)contract from MDA, the satellites will be 500kg. This contrasts with the second-generation satellites, which were 700kg each. 700*6 = 4,200kg per launch aboard the Soyuz-2.1a, which has a rated capacity of 7,000kg to LEO (presumably, some mass was spent on dispenser hardware). If these 17 new third-generation satellites are carried on just two launches, that'll require one launch with nine, so 500*9 = 4,500kg, only 300kg more. And Neutron is supposed to be more like 8,000kg to LEO, so a slight uprate from the Soyuz-2.1a in any event.

Offline Lars-J

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Offline su27k

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #11 on: 05/05/2022 01:12 pm »
https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/1521524401568636928

Quote
Mobile satellite services provider @Globalstar registers 3,080-satellite constellation with @ITU through Germany's @bnetza; 110 orbital planes at 485-700km. Current Globalstar constellation is at 1,400 km.

Offline su27k

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #12 on: 05/10/2022 03:38 pm »
Globalstar agrees terms with “global customer” for terrestrial connectivity

Quote from: SpaceNews
Globalstar has signed a term sheet with a “large, global customer” to start deploying some of its spectrum for terrestrial use “in the U.S. and beyond,” the satellite operator said May 5.

The mystery customer is looking to use frequencies Globalstar holds in a part of S-band dubbed Band 53, the operator said in an earnings release.

While further details were not disclosed, Globalstar has been working with Nokia for years to develop terrestrial solutions for Band 53, including private wireless networks and systems for connecting internet of things (IoT) devices.

Offline zubenelgenubi

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #13 on: 06/07/2022 06:31 pm »
Replacement launch thread here

Edit: Successful launch June 19.
« Last Edit: 06/29/2022 04:25 pm by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline Tywin

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Offline JayWee

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #15 on: 09/07/2022 08:53 pm »
https://sec.report/Document/0001366868-22-000059/

Quote from: Form 8-K
The Partnership Agreements generally provide for Globalstar to:

•Allocate 85% of its current and future network capacity to support the Services (see further discussion of capacity below);
That's... quite a lot.

Offline TrevorMonty

Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #16 on: 09/08/2022 03:33 am »
Do these satellites support existing cellphones HW or are iPhones specifically designed to operate with Globalstar satellites.

NB T-Mobile (SpaceX bought them) will work with existing cellphones, assume special app is needed.

Edited. T- Mobile not T-Space
« Last Edit: 09/08/2022 06:48 pm by TrevorMonty »

Offline su27k

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #17 on: 09/08/2022 04:43 am »
I didn't watch the unveil, but it seems that you'll need to change your phone's orientation to actively tracking the satellite? That doesn't seem to be a good user experience...
« Last Edit: 09/08/2022 06:03 am by su27k »

Offline Asteroza

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #18 on: 09/08/2022 05:10 am »
I didn't watch the unveil, but it seems that you'll need to change your phone's orientation to actively tracking the satellite? That doesn't seem to be a good user experience...

Likely an antenna placement/area limitation due to the compactness of smartphones, compared to existing globalstar specific portable equipment which have more design leeway. It might be as simple as pointing south in the northern hemisphere using the phone compass.

Hrm, I wonder if this also can become the LoJack equivalent for "Find my iPhone", being able to globally locate any iPhone 14... above and beyond the current bluetooth sensing network Apple already effectively deployed for "Find my iPhone".

Offline Coastal Ron

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Re: Globalstar Replacement Satellites and Launches
« Reply #19 on: 09/08/2022 05:12 am »
I didn't watch the unveil, but it seems that you'll need to change your phone's orientation to actively tracking the satellite? That doesn't seem to be a good user experience...

I think that is a little harsh for a regular cellphone that is able to connect to SATELLITES!

So what if you need to orient the phone to optimize the signal - you are likely using it during an emergency, when you would do ANYTHING to get help as quickly as possible. This is technology that borders on magic, and they have packed it into something you would buy for plenty of reasons other than satellite connection ability.
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

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