TerreStar Corporation

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} '''TerreStar Corporation''' ('''TSTR'''), formerly '''Motient Corp.''' ('''MNCP''' - 2000–2007) and ''American Mobile Satellite Corp.'' (AMSC - 1988–2000), was the controlling shareholder of ''TerreStar Networks Inc.'', ''TerreStar National Services, Inc.'' and ''TerreStar Global Ltd.'', and a shareholder of SkyTerra Communications.

''TerreStar Networks'' was a Reston, Virginia-based company that operated integrated satellite and terrestrial telecommunications systems. The company declared bankruptcy in 2010 and is now owned by Dish Network.<ref>{{Cite web|title=TerreStar files for bankruptcy|url=https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/terrestar-files-for-bankruptcy|access-date=June 2, 2020|website=FierceWireless|language=en}}</ref>

XM Satellite Radio was a spin-off of American Mobile Satellite Corp.

== TerreStar-1 == Arianespace launched TerreStar-1 on the morning of July 1, 2009. With a launch mass of 6,910 kg, it has been deemed "the largest commercial telecommunications satellite ever launched." It was built by Space Systems/Loral and was launched from the Guiana Space Center with an Ariane 5 rocket in French Guiana. TerreStar-1 with the plan of providing mobile voice, messaging and data communications services to North America.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/609.asp |title= Ariane 5 soars to another heavy-lift success in lofting the TerreStar-1 mobile communications satellite |date=July 1, 2009 |publisher=Arianespace}}</ref>

Terrestar system is based on GMR standard.

== Terrestrial network == On January 14, 2010, TerreStar announced that the Federal Communications Commission had approved the company's deployment of a terrestrial wireless network using the same S-band frequencies used by TerreStar-1.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/2010-01-14-fcc-approves-terrestar-terrestrial-network.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911055054/http://www.spacenews.com/satellite_telecom/2010-01-14-fcc-approves-terrestar-terrestrial-network.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |title=FCC Approves TerreStar Terrestrial Network |date=January 14, 2010 |author=Peter B. de Selding |publisher=Space News}}</ref>

==Bankruptcy Restructuring with EchoStar== In October 2010, TerreStar filed for a "prepackaged" bankruptcy, led by its largest secured creditor, EchoStar. Together the secured creditors exchanged $940 million of debt for about 97 percent of the company. The plan, along with $75 million of debtor-in-possession financing, was approved in November 2010.<ref>{{ cite news | title = EchoStar's $75 Million Bankruptcy Loan to TerreStar Wins Judge's Approval | author = David McLaughlin | date = November 17, 2010 | publisher = Bloomberg | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-16/echostar-s-75-million-bankruptcy-loan-to-terrestar-wins-judge-s-approval.html | accessdate = October 18, 2011 }}</ref> In December 2010, an NPO called "A Human Right" mounted an effort to buy the satellite for use over Africa, with basic free internet service for those who don't have it, and internet access for nations that have cut off international internet connections.<ref name="Time1">{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2045428,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201052339/http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2045428,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2011|title=As Egypt Shuts Down the Internet, One Group Wants Online Access for All|last=Fields|first=Jim|date=January 31, 2011|work=Time Magazine|publisher=Time, Inc.|accessdate=February 11, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Time2">{{cite news|url=https://newsfeed.time.com/2011/02/02/looking-to-aid-egyptians-perhaps-you-want-to-buy-this-satellite/|title=Looking to Aid Egyptians? Perhaps You Want to "Buy This Satellite" |last=Fox|first=Zoe|date=February 2, 2011|work=Time Magazine|publisher=Time, Inc.|access-date=February 11, 2011}}</ref> On February 16, 2011, TerreStar Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/terrestar-corporation-terrestar-holdings-file-ch-11-affiliates-cases-to-be-joined?context=search&index=754|title=TerreStar Corporation, TerreStar Holdings File Ch. 11; Affiliates’ Cases to Be Joined|date=2011-02-23|access-date=2026-02-07|website=Bloomberg Law|language=en}}</ref>

After successfully bidding $1.375 billion for the acquisition of the TerreStar-1 satellite in a bankruptcy-court auction,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2011/07/07/bankruptcy-court-oks-dish-networks.html|title=Bankruptcy court OKs Dish Network's buy of TerreStar |work=Denver Business Journal|date=July 7, 2011|accessdate=December 30, 2011}}</ref> Dish Network on August 22, 2011, asked the Federal Communications Commission to let the company utilize the wireless spectrum of TerreStar to offer its own wireless broadband service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/08/23/2347277/business-briefs.html|title=Boeing 787 nears debut|work=The Sun News|date=August 25, 2011|accessdate=August 25, 2011}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090704095215/http://www.terrestarcorp.com/ Terrestar Corporation]}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100119014725/http://www.terrestar.com/ TerreStar Networks] *[http://www.terrestarglobal.com/ Terrestar Global] *[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2009-035A NSDDC Master Catalog - TerreStar 1 - 2009-035A] *[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/spacewarn/spx669.html NSSDC SPACEWARN Bulletin - TerreStar 1 - 2009-035A] *[http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/business-programs/government/solutions/integrated-cellular-satellite-solution.jsp AT&T Integrated Cellular-Satellite Solution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210042118/https://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/business-programs/government/solutions/integrated-cellular-satellite-solution.jsp |date=February 10, 2013 }} *[http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=27180 AT&T Announces Agreement with TerreStar to Offer Integrated Cellular/Satellite Solution] * [http://buythissatellite.org/about.php Buy This Satellite] - website for A Human Right * {{satbeams footprint|6094|TerreStar-1 Composite Beam}}

Category:Companies based in Reston, Virginia Category:Satellite telephony Category:Defunct mobile phone companies of the United States Category:Dish Network Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010 Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011