Space Systems/Loral Provides High Capacity Broadband Satellite To Hughes

PALO ALTO, Calif. and GERMANTOWN, Md., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), the world's leading provider of commercial satellites, today announced that the EchoStar XVII satellite, designed and built for Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes), a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), has arrived at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will be launched aboard an Ariane 5 launch vehicle by Arianespace.  One of the highest capacity satellites ever built, EchoStar XVII will be used to provide HughesNet® Gen4 high-speed Internet service in North America. 

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"Broadband access is essential for participation in today's Internet economy," said John Celli, president of Space Systems/Loral. "It has been our privilege to team with Hughes and apply our four decades of experience with Ka-band satellites to help make their vision of expanded high-speed satellite Internet access across North America a reality."  

EchoStar XVII, with JUPITER high-throughput technology, is an all Ka-band, broadband satellite designed to provide well in excess of 100 gigabits per second capacity to HughesNet's rapidly growing subscriber base.  Its multi-spot beam architecture will expand coverage and focus capacity on the areas with the highest traffic demand for enhanced services by consumers and businesses in North America.

"EchoStar XVII will bring HughesNet Gen4 high-speed Internet access to over 1.5 million consumer and small business subscribers, further securing our position as the world's leading provider of satellite broadband services," said Pradman Kaul, president of Hughes. "Space Systems/Loral has been an excellent partner in building this complex spacecraft and we are very excited to see it launch next month."

Based on the highly reliable Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, EchoStar XVII is designed to provide service for 15 years or longer.  The satellite will be the fourth dedicated broadband satellite built by SS/L to orbit the earth.

About Hughes Network Systems

Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 2.8 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing over 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.

About Space Systems/Loral

Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (NASDAQ: LORL), has a long history of delivering reliable satellites and spacecraft systems for commercial and government customers around the world. As the world's leading provider of commercial satellites, the company works closely with satellite operators to provide spacecraft for a broad range of services including television and radio distribution, digital audio radio, broadband Internet, and mobile communications. Billions of people around the world depend on SS/L satellites every day. For more information, visit www.ssloral.com.

About Loral Space & Communications

Loral Space & Communications is a satellite communications company. Through its Space Systems/Loral subsidiary, the company is a world-class leader in the design and manufacture of satellites and satellite systems for commercial and government applications including direct-to-home television, broadband communications, wireless telephony, weather monitoring, and air traffic management. Loral also owns 64 percent of Telesat, one of the world's largest providers of satellite services. Telesat operates a fleet of telecommunications satellites used to broadcast video entertainment programming, distribute direct-to-home video and broadband data services, and other value-added communications services. For more information, visit Loral's Web site at www.loral.com.  LORL-G

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "believes," "expects," "plans," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "anticipates," "estimates," "project," "intend" or "outlook" or other variations of these words or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. In addition, Loral Space & Communications Inc., Space Systems/Loral, Inc. or their 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 from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and press releases or oral statements made with the approval of an authorized executive officer of the company. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results as a result of certain risks and uncertainties which are described as "Risk Factors" and in the "Commitments and Contingencies" note to the financial statements in Loral's 2011 annual report on Form 10-K filed February 29, 2012. The reader is specifically referred to this document, as well as the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to (1) risks associated with financial factors, including swings in the global financial markets, financial covenants in SS/L's credit agreement, increases in interest rates and access to capital; (2) risks associated with satellite manufacturing, including competition, cyclicality of SS/L's end-user markets, contractual risks, creditworthiness of customers, performance of suppliers and management of our factory and personnel; (3) regulatory risks, such as the effect of U.S. export control and economic sanction laws; and (4) other risks, including litigation. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. Furthermore, Loral and SS/L operate in an industry sector where securities values may be volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond the control of Loral and SS/L.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC