The rocket lifted off the pad at 4:24 p.m. EST becoming the 276th Delta mission ever to fly, and the first Delta launch for Boeing in 2000. "For nearly 40 years, Delta launch vehicles have carried scientific, military and commercial payloads into space," said Darryl Van Dorn, Boeing manager of NASA and Delta II commercial programs.

"Today's successful launch and deployment of another four Globalstar satellites is yet another achievement in the growing commercialization of space," he noted. With its satellite infrastructure in place, Globalstar L.P., a provider of mobile satellite personal communications services, is focusing on launching worldwide services.

Globalstar's space segment is now complete with 48 operating satellites supported by four spares. "The completion of our constellation with this last launch is a remarkable achievement," said Bernard L. Schwartz, Globalstar chairman and chief executive officer.

"We are especially pleased with the satellites' trouble-free performance. In fact, based on their performance so far, the satellites are expected to exceed their planned lifespan of seven-and-a-half years and fly for ten years.

"With the space segment successfully in place," Mr. Schwartz continued, "all of our energy and resources are directed toward the progressive roll-out of service around the world," said Schwartz.

The newest four Globalstar satellites, manufactured by prime contractor Space Systems/Loral, were launched today at 4:24 p.m. EST aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from the Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida.

The Globalstar satellites on today's launch were separated in pairs from the upper stage of the Delta II rocket at an altitude of 920 kilometers (571 miles) above the Earth.

Flight engineers at Globalstar's ground control center in San Jose, Calif., subsequently established communication with the satellites using the six Globalstar telemetry command unit gateways located in Aussaguel, France; Yeoju, South Korea; Dubbo, Australia; Bosque Allegre, Argentina; Delareyville, South Africa; and Clifton, Texas.

The Globalstar system is designed to provide affordable satellite-based digital voice services to a broad range of subscribers and users.

Globalstar will meet the needs of cellular users and global travelers who roam outside of cellular coverage areas, as well as residents of under-served markets who will use Globalstar's fixed-site phones to satisfy their needs for basic telephony.

Globalstar, led by founding partner Loral Space & Communications, is a partnership of the world's leading telecommunications service providers and equipment manufacturers, including co-founder Qualcomm Incorporated, Alenia, China Telecom (HK), DACOM, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, Elsacom (a Finmeccanica Company), Hyundai, Qualcomm Incorporated, TE.SA.M (a France Telecom/Alcatel company), Space Systems/Loral, and Vodafone AirTouch. For more information, visit Globalstar's web site at www.globalstar.com.