Seventh SES NEW SKIES satellite to be launched in Q4 2008, enhancing flexibility and capacity of SES’ global fleet

   SES NEW SKIES, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) is pleased to announce that the contract for the construction of the NSS-9 satellite has been awarded to Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB). NSS-9 will be procured by SES GLOBAL Satellite Leasing Ltd., and will be commercially operated by SES NEW SKIES.

   The NSS-9 spacecraft will be positioned at the orbital location of 183° East, allowing NSS-5 to be re-deployed to a new orbital slot. SES will choose a launch service provider for the NSS-9 satellite in the near future.

   NSS-9 will carry 28 active C-band transponders and feature three beams that can be interconnected on a transponder-by-transponder basis: A global beam providing coverage of the entire earth visible from 183º East, a West Hemi beam (covering Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, China, Korea and the Pacific Islands) and an East Hemi beam (providing coverage and connectivity to the U.S., Hawaii and Polynesia). The satellite will be specified for a minimum service life of 15 years. Based on Orbital’s Star 2 satellite bus, the spacecraft will have a launch mass of 2230 kilograms, a payload power of 2.3 kW, and it will feature key redundant on-board systems to provide maximum operational security.

  States Robert Bednarek, President and CEO of SES NEW SKIES: “With the procurement of NSS-9 for launch in 2008 and the upcoming launch of NSS-8 in January 2007, SES NEW SKIES will significantly expand its transmission capacity, in-orbit back-up and overall fleet flexibility in the best interest of our customers. This ongoing fleet development serves to demonstrate the long-term commitment that the SES Group brings to global satellite coverage and connectivity. We look forward to working closely with Orbital on the NSS-9 mission, and are confident that they will deliver an excellent spacecraft that matches SES’ high quality standards.”

   Dr. Ali Atia, head of Orbital’s geosynchronous satellite unit, said: “Our team is extremely excited about this new contract win with another of the SES family of satellite companies. NSS-9 is the second order placed in 2006 by SES for satellites based on Orbital’s STAR platform. Earlier this year, Orbital teamed with Alcatel Alenia Space to supply the STAR bus and perform systems integration for the SES AMERICOM AMC-21 satellite.”

About SES NEW SKIES

SES NEW SKIES is an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) offering satellite communication services to a range of customers including telecommunications providers, broadcasters, corporations and governments around the world. SES NEW SKIES owns and operates a global fleet of five satellites in orbit, with an additional spacecraft under construction (NSS-8) and ground facilities around the world. Headquartered in The Hague, the company has offices in Hong Kong, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington, D.C. In addition to NEW SKIES, SES GLOBAL wholly owns market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA in Europe and SES AMERICOM in North America and also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia, Star One in Latin America, SES Sirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES GLOBAL provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a combined fleet of 44 satellites across the globe. Further information on the company is available at www.ses-newskies.com and on SES GLOBAL at www.ses-global.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-orbit, geosynchronous-orbit and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific and defense 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 satellite-based transportation management systems for public transit agencies and private vehicle fleet operators.  

More information about Orbital can be found at http://www.orbital.com

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Note to Editors: A high-resolution artist rendering of the NSS-9 satellite in orbit, suitable for publication (300+ d.p.i.), is available at:

http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Images/GEO/index.html

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