Monday, September 4, 2023

Globalstar enlists Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch satellites for Apple's iPhone SOS feature

Globalstar, a Covington-based communications company, has been selected to serve as the satellite operator for Apple’s new emergency SOS service
 
From NOLA 

Globalstar has enlisted Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch a host of satellites it will use to provide a communications network for an emergency Apple iPhone feature, the Covington satellite technology firm said Thursday in a federal filing.
 
 As part of a deal signed Monday, Globalstar will have to pay SpaceX a total of $64 million for “launch-related payments on a periodic basis” from now until the satellites are sent into space in 2025, according to its Securities and Exchange Commission filing. SpaceX is the spacecraft manufacturer founded by Musk, who is CEO of Tesla and owns X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

The satellites will support the emergency SOS services Globalstar is providing to Apple’s iPhones.
The feature allows iPhone 14 users to tap into satellite networks to send messages or calls if they are far away from cell towers.

Globalstar bought those satellites in February 2022 from Canadian company Macdonald, Dettwiler and Associates Corp. for $327 million.
Apple loaned Globalstar $252 million to help finance that purchase.

This isn’t the first time Musk’s launch company has helped Globalstar.
Last year, SpaceX helped Globalstar launch a satellite from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Globalstar made waves earlier this week when it announced it would hire Paul Jacobs, a Silicon Valley darling and former Qualcomm executive, as its CEO.
 
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