Ignoring SpaceX’s objections, Globalstar has been granted permission to commence the deployment of up to 17 enhanced satellites with direct smartphone connectivity in 2025.
The company’s license for operation was extended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for 15 years, until 2039, following the approval of the proposed satellites on August 16, 2024.
Nevertheless, the US regulator has delayed a decision on the deployment of an additional nine satellites, which Globalstar intends to use as on-orbit spares until the operator updates its plan for managing orbital debris.
Globalstar, based in Covington, Louisiana, presently maintains 31 satellites. These satellites include seven HIBLEO-4s that are licensed by the United States and 24 HIBLEO-X spacecraft that are owned by France.
Despite the fact that the satellites were initially deployed over a decade ago to facilitate L-band communication for remote devices and specialized phones, they are now also capable of supporting SOS and messaging services for the most recent iPhones as part of a groundbreaking partnership with Apple.
Apple agreed to cover the majority of the costs of replenishing the constellation, and Globalstar signed a $327 million contract with Canadian MDA Space in 2022 to build 17 satellites. The company has the option to add up to nine additional satellites at a cost of $11.4 million each.
SpaceX has a contract to launch the constellation, and Globalstar intends to deploy up to eight of them by the end of 2025.
Globalstar has declined to provide any information regarding the upgrades that may be accessible to iPhone cellular subscribers who will be able to access its upgraded constellation.
Rival SpaceX
SpaceX is presently conducting a demonstration of a competing constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO) that features direct smartphone connectivity as part of its Starlink broadband constellation.
The company requested that the FCC mandate Globalstar to evaluate the potential interference between its future satellites and other mobile satellite services, including the proposed SpaceX MSS network, prior to approving the constellation.
Nevertheless, the FCC concurred with Globalstar that the operator was not required to submit an interference analysis, as the proposed satellites are designed to operate within technical parameters and frequencies that have been previously authorized.
The regulator also rejected SpaceX’s arguments that Globalstar should be restricted to requesting permission to replace seven HIBLEO-4 satellites that are licensed in the United States.
In the ruling, FCC Space Bureau Chief Julie Kearney stated that, despite the fact that some of its satellites are currently licensed by France, they have always been permitted to provide services to the United States. These satellites operate as a single system in conjunction with the US-licensed versions.
Globalstar plans to progressively discontinue the use of its French-licensed HIBLEO-X satellites in order to ensure that its entire constellation is authorized in the United States.
The operator was previously authorized to operate a network of 48 satellites; however, they plan to reduce the constellation to 26 spacecraft.
Debris Issues
The satellites of Globalstar are operated at an altitude of 1,414 kilometers, which is significantly higher than that of numerous other systems in low Earth orbit.
In the event of a complete loss of control of one of its satellites in the deployment orbit of approximately 700 kilometers, Globalstar anticipates that the spacecraft would require approximately 863 years to deorbit and naturally incinerate in the atmosphere.
Globalstar has been mandated by the Federal Communications Commission to implement a variety of measures to mitigate the risk of generating long-term hazards in space, such as submitting an updated accident risk analysis prior to satellite deployment, to prevent the formation of orbital debris.
Globalstar must demonstrate that its satellites can safely ascend to an operational altitude of 1,414 kilometers and descend to approximately 400 kilometers after the mission, from an initial altitude of 680-700 kilometers. At this point, the satellites will naturally deorbit within five years.
Kearney noted that they explicitly observe the potential for long-term debris creation in the event that the satellite fails during deployment or while in its operational orbit. Consequently, he said the grant is contingent upon Globalstar’s submission of reports to the Commission regarding any loss of control over the replacement Globalstar satellites at altitudes exceeding 400 kilometers.
Additionally, Globalstar must coordinate and collaborate with NASA to prevent any interference with scientific missions and to mitigate any potential impact its satellites may have on ground-based optical astronomy.