SES AMERICOM Orders Additional Spacecraft From Orbital Sciences Corporation
Princeton, NJ & Dulles, VA, April 8, 2008 – SES AMERICOM, an SES company (Euronext
Paris and Luxembourg stock exchange: SESG) and Orbital Sciences Corporation
(NYSE: ORB), announced today the order of a third spacecraft under the
multi-satellite contract both companies
announced in May 2007. Under this contract, the first and second satellites
ordered were AMC-5R and a ground spare. That ground spare will now become
AMC-1R, and a new ground spare will be produced for a future use.
Planned for launch in the second half of 2009, AMC-1R will have a permanent home
in geosynchronous Earth orbit at 103 degrees West longitude.
"The strength of our relationship with Orbital and the efficiencies of the
multi-spacecraft agreement permit SES to provide a distinctly high level of
mission certainty. Our connections with our customers are underscored by
continually meeting and exceeding their expectations for reliability and quality
of service. This combination of mutually beneficial supplier-customer-operator
relationships, and the operational excellence that it forges, powers AMERICOM's
superior performance," said
Ed Horowitz, President and CEO, SES AMERICOM.
“Our close collaboration with SES in defining standardized spacecraft
requirements for multiple satellites is enabling us to produce, deliver and
launch one of our
STAR
spacecraft in under 24 months,” stated
Mr. Mike
Larkin, Orbital’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of its Space
Systems Group. “This process highlights one of Orbital’s major competitive
advantages, which is our ability to deliver a GEO satellite in two years or
less,” he added.
Taking full advantage of the contract’s ordering flexibility, AMC-1R was the
ground spare originally ordered with AMC-5R. With 24 transponders in each
frequency band (C and Ku), AMC-1R will initially operate at 101 degrees West,
and then move to its permanent home at 103 degrees West.
Orbital will serve as the prime contractor for the new spacecraft, which is
based on the most powerful version of the STAR 2 satellite platform. AMC-1R and
the identical ground spare will be hybrid satellites; a portion of each
frequency payload will be cross-strapped, allowing signals to be transmitted to
the satellite in one frequency and received in the other. The spacecraft will
generate approximately five kilowatts of payload power and will have two
deployable reflectors. Delivery of AMC-1R is scheduled for mid-2009, for a
second half 2009 launch supplied by Sea Launch on the Zenit-3SLB vehicle called
Land Launch.
About SES AMERICOM
As the leading supplier of satellite services in the U.S., SES AMERICOM serves
broadcasters, cable programmers, aeronautical and maritime communications
integrators, Internet service providers, mobile communications networks,
government agencies, educational institutions, carriers and secure global data
networks with efficient communications and content distribution solutions. The
company, recognized as a major innovator of advanced satellite communications
services, operates a fleet of 15 spacecraft in orbital positions predominantly
providing service throughout the Americas. In addition,
AMERICOM Government Services (AGS), a
wholly-owned subsidiary, is dedicated to providing satellite-based
communications solutions to both civilian and defense agencies of the U.S.
Government.
SES AMERICOM is an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange:
SESG). SES wholly owns three market-leading satellite operators,
SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM in
North America, and SES NEW SKIES,
which provide global coverage and connectivity. The company also holds 90% of
SES SIRIUS in Europe as well as
strategic participations in Ciel in
Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico. SES
provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 38
satellites in 25 orbital positions around the globe. Additional information on
SES is available at: www.ses.com
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small rockets and space systems for commercial, military and civil government customers. The company’s primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low Earth-orbit, geosynchronous Earth-orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar and other missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense systems that are used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also offers space-related technical services to government agencies and develops and builds software-based transportation management systems for public transit agencies and private vehicle fleet operators. More information about Orbital can be found at www.orbital.com
Contacts:Monica Morgan, (1) 609-987-4143
monica.morgan@ses-americom.com
Barron Beneski , (1) 703-406-5528