 |
SPACE SYSTEMS/LORAL RECEIVES FIRM ORDERS
FOR XTAR EUR AND SPAINSAT SATELLITES
Loral and Hisdesat X-band Companies to
Provide Defense Satellite Communications Services to the U.S.,
Spain and Allied Governments
NEW YORK - December 12, 2001 - Loral
Space & Communications (NYSE: LOR) today announced
that Space Systems/Loral
(SS/L) has finalized firm contracts for the construction of
two new X-band satellites. XTAR EUR and SpainSat, to be operated
by XTAR™ and Hisdesat respectively, will provide leased
satellite communication services to the U.S. Department of
Defense and affiliated agencies, the Spanish Ministry of Defense
and other allied governments.
"The U.S. Government's need for defense satellite communications,
growing dramatically in the past decade, has far exceeded
its current capabilities," said Bill Wright, president
of XTAR. "We expect XTAR EUR and SpainSat to be the first
satellites to answer the call of the U.S. and other governments
for additional secure bandwidth and we intend to grow this
service into a very successful X-band business."
The XTAR EUR satellite, to begin service in 2003, will carry
twelve wideband high-power X-band transponders and operate
from an Indian Ocean region orbital slot to be determined
by XTAR. XTAR EUR is designed to operate with existing and
planned defense communications terminals around the world.
SS/L will build a second satellite, SpainSat, for Hisdesat.
SpainSat will operate thirteen specially configured high-power
transponders, twelve at X-band and one at Ka-band, from its
30 degrees West longitude orbital position. SpainSat is expected
to begin operations in 2004.
Hisdesat will lease five of SpainSat's X-band transponders
to the Spanish Ministry of Defense, with the remaining eight
transponders to be leased by XTAR for defense customers in
the U.S. and other allied governments. Together, XTAR EUR
and SpainSat are designed to cover a vast geographic area,
including the Americas, the Atlantic Ocean region, Western
and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
"With the launch of the SpainSat and XTAR EUR satellites,
Spain will enter a new era of defense satellite communications
capabilities, serving the growing bandwidth needs of the Spanish
Ministry of Defense, the United States, NATO and friendly
countries. Hisdesat is proud to be a partner with Loral in
XTAR and we look forward to serving the long term needs of
Spain's allies in defense communications," said José
María Hoyos, chief executive officer of Hisdesat.
Each spacecraft will provide 1000 MHz of bandwidth for use
in defense networks. Both are versions of SS/L's space-proven
1300 satellite platform, which has an excellent record of
reliable operation. Both XTAR-EUR and SpainSat have a designed
service life of 15 years and will carry uniquely configured
antennas onboard, providing a combination of fixed and steerable
beams to maximize the satellite's flexibility. In all, SS/L
satellites have amassed more than 850 years of on-orbit service.
With offices in Washington, D.C., XTAR is a new defense satellite
communications company serving the U.S. and allied governments'
operations. The company is a joint venture between managing
partner Loral and Hisdesat.
The recently formed Hisdesat, S.A., with offices in Madrid,
includes Hispasat, S.A., the Spanish commercial satellite
services company, and the leaders of Spain's space industries
- EADS-CASA Espacio, INDRA, INSA and SENER. Hispasat has been
providing X-band services to the Spanish Ministry of Defense
since 1992 and with this new project, Hisdesat will provide
enhanced capabilities, including Ka-band, for Spain's defense
applications.
Space Systems/Loral
is a premier designer, manufacturer, and integrator of powerful
satellites and satellite systems. SS/L also provides a range
of related services, including mission control operations
and procurement of launch services. Based in Palo Alto, California,
the company has an international base of commercial and governmental
customers whose applications include broadband digital communications,
wireless telephony, direct-to-home broadcast, defense communications,
environmental monitoring, and air traffic control. SS/L is
ISO 9001 certified. For more information, visit www.ssloral.com.
Loral Space & Communications
is a high technology company that concentrates primarily
on satellite manufacturing and satellite-based services, including
broadcast transponder leasing and value added services, domestic
and international corporate data networks, broadband data
transmission, content and Internet services.
# # #
Editor's Note: X-band refers to a range of radio frequencies
from approximately 7 to 8 GHz, falling between C-band and
Ku-band. X-band offers higher power and better data rates
than C-band and requires smaller dishes. X-band is also less
susceptible to occasional rain fade than Ku-band. The U.S.
and NATO use X-band frequencies for military and other government
uses.
This document contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended. In addition, Loral Space & Communications
Ltd. or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking
statements, orally or in writing, which may be included in,
but are not limited to, various filings made by the company
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases
or oral statements made with the approval of an authorized
executive officer of the company. Actual results could differ
materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking
statements as a result of a wide variety of factors and conditions.
These factors include those related to the filing, on July
15, 2003 by Loral and certain of its subsidiaries, of voluntary
petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of Title 11
of the United States Code in the United States District Court
for the Southern District of New York and parallel insolvency
proceedings in the Supreme Court of Bermuda in which certain
partners of KPMG were appointed as joint provisional liquidators.
Additional factors and conditions are also described in the
section of the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, entitled "Certain
Factors That May Affect Future Results," and the company's
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The reader is specifically referred to these documents.
Contact:
John McCarthy
Loral Space & Communications
212-697-1105
Register
here to receive XTAR, LLC news announcements by email.
«back
|
|
