GLOBALSTAR M084, M080, M082, M092, M090, and M086 were launched from Baikonur on 28 December 2011 at 17:09 UT by a Soyuz rocket. There were a total of six new second-generation satellites launched, each weighing approximately 700 kg. In the following months the satellites used their on-board power to climb into a 1,400-km operating orbit, where they joined the rest of the Globalstar constellation.
The initial orbital parameters were period = 105.36 minutes, apogee = 1,016.1 km, perigee = 1,006.6 km, inclination = 52.0 degrees on 2012 Feb 17 at 16:31:41 UTC.
The Globalstar satellites are divided among eight orbital planes to evenly spread the spacecraft across the globe. This is the third group of six satellites to be placed in orbit. The fourth group of six was scheduled to launch in the first half of 2012, and complete Globalstar's 24 second-generation constellation. Once the constellation of the second-generation satellites is fully deployed, it will support Globalstar's mobile satellite voice and data services for commercial and government customers in more than 120 countries. The second-generation Globalstar constellation will replace the existing first-generation constellation, gradually restoring voice and duplex data service as they join the network. The satellites are expected to operate for 15 years.
The satellites were developed by European company Thales Alenia Space on orders of the Globalstar corporation, and designed to provide high-quality global personal mobile communication services.
Facts in Brief
Launch Date: 2011-12-28
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), Kazakhstan
Mass: 700.0 kg