Loral Space & Communications

Loral Space & Communications Inc. is a Delaware-domiciled satellite communications company headed by Michael B. Targoff. The company was formed in 1996 from the remnants of Loral Corporation when Loral divested its defense electronics and system integration businesses to Lockheed Martin for $9.1 billion.[2] In 2006, Bernard L. Schwartz retired after leading the company for 34 years.

Loral Space & Communications Inc.
Company typePublic
NasdaqTSAT
Russell 2000 Component
IndustryCommunications, Space manufacturing
Founded1996
Headquarters600 Third Avenue, ,
Key people
Michael B. Targoff (CEO), Harvey Rein, Senior Vice President/CFO
ProductsCommunications satellite Manufacturing, Satellite Services
Revenue$882M USD (FY 2007)
Number of employees
21
Websitewww.loral.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

Loral presently has an investment in Telesat Canada in partnership with the Public Sector Pension Investment Board of Canada, and merged into a new stock offering (TSAT) on the Nasdaq in November, 2020. The company also participates in a number of international and domestic joint ventures, including an ownership stake in XTAR.

History edit

On March 20, 1998, Loral completed the acquisition of Orion Network Systems, Inc., through the exchange of common stock. The transaction was valued at approximately $479 million.[3]

In January 2002, Loral reached a settlement with the U.S. Government in a case relating to the company’s involvement in the disclosure of information during a review of a Chinese rocket launch failure in 1996.[4] Loral agreed to pay a civil fine of $14 million to the State Department without admitting or denying the government’s charges.[4] According to a House Select Committee, Loral under CEO Schwartz provided the Chinese government with advice regarding a guidance system for future PRC road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles.[5] The Defense Technology Security Administration concluded Loral "committed a serious export control violation" and that the "significant benefits derived by China from these activities are likely to lead to improvements in the overall reliability of their launch vehicles [i.e., rockets] and ballistic missiles and in particular their guidance systems."[6] Loral paid a total fine of $20 million, the largest that a company has ever paid under the Arms Export Control Act.[7]

On July 15, 2003, Loral and certain subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.[8] In conjunction with the filing, Loral announced the sale of its North American satellite fleet to Intelsat to help reduce its debt. Loral emerged from Chapter 11 on November 21, 2005.

On Feb 1, 2006, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (Loral Skynet) began the construction of Telstar 11N, a powerful new multi-region Ku-band communications satellite.[9]

On October 5, 2007, Loral Space & Communications Inc. and the Public Pension Investment Board of Canada received the final regulatory approval necessary to complete the acquisition of Telesat from BCE Inc. for CAD $3.25 billion. The acquisition closed on October 31, 2007. Loral hold a 64% economic interest and a 331/3% voting interest in Telesat Holdco, the ultimate parent company of the resulting new entity.

At the same time, Telesat Canada merged with Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications.[10] This resulted in the transfer of all of the assets of Loral Skynet to Telesat.

On November 2, 2012, Loral Space & Communications Inc. announced the sale of subsidiary Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), to MacDonald Dettwiler.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ "Loral Space & Communication 2017 Annual Report". Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  2. ^ "Lockheed Martin To Settle Charges in Loral Acquisition". Federal Trade Commission. 1996-04-18. Retrieved 2020-11-27.
  3. ^ "LORAL COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF ORION NETWORK SYSTEMS". Mar 20, 1998. Archived from the original on 2014-08-19.
  4. ^ a b "LORAL AND U.S. GOVERNMENT SETTLE 1996 CHINESE LAUNCH MATTER". Archived from the original on 2008-06-21. Retrieved 2009-12-19. "Loral and US Government Settle Chinese Launch Matter", Loral news release, January 9, 2002.
  5. ^ "Appendices". Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ "Chapter 6 - Satellite Launches in the PRC - Loral". Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ "StackPath". April 2002.
  8. ^ Feder, Barnaby J. (2003-07-15). "Loral Files for Bankruptcy; Boeing to Take $1.1 Billion Charge". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
  9. ^ "CONSTRUCTION OF LORAL SKYNET'S TELSTAR 11N SATELLITE BEGINS AT SPACE SYSTEMS/LORAL". Feb 1, 2006. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.
  10. ^ "BCE sells Telesat to Loral for $3 bil | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. 19 December 2006. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  11. ^ "Loral Closes Sale of Space Systems/Loral to MDA". Loral Space & Communications Inc. 2 November 2012. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.

External links edit