The aggregate purchase price of the six spacecraft is 149.9 million euros ($197 million). Thales Alenia Space committed to begin deliveries 29 months after the close of the financing. Globalstar expects to close the financing for this purchase by the end of 2012. The satellites will then be delivered and launched in 2015. Globalstar said the new spacecraft would ensure long-term mobile satellite voice and data services to its global customers through 2030.

   Globalstar and Thales Alenia Space signed a commercial proposal earlier this year that contained the basic terms for the purchase of these additional satellites, which will be technically identical to the 24 second-generation spacecraft Globalstar ordered from Thales Alenia Space under their 2009 contract. The six new satellites will utilize approximately 12 million euros ($15.7 million) in long lead items purchased by Globalstar under the previous agreement.

   “We are very satisfied to have finalized this negotiation in order to provide this batch of six additional Globalstar satellites to join the constellation", said Thales Alenia Space Executive Vice President Emmanuel Grave.

   Globalstar Chairman and CEO Jay Monroe said the new contract provides his company with an option to order as many as 24 more satellites in the future should consumer demand require additional capacity be added to the system.

   “This agreement not only secures our current space segment requirements, but it also ensures that Globalstar is uniquely positioned to provide our customers with high quality MSS voice and data services over the long-term,” Monroe said in a statement. “Once again, we would like to thank Thales Alenia Space and the French bank group for their hard work and look forward to continuing our work with them as we move forward with the manufacture and delivery of the additional satellites.”

   With three launches completed and 18 satellites already in orbit, Globalstar is making preparations for the fourth launch of six satellites and said it is already experiencing significantly improved levels of services.