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www.southgatearc.org
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ASTRA 1L satellite successfully launchedSES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), is pleased to announce that its new ASTRA 1L satellite has been successfully launched into orbit. ASTRA 1L roared into space onboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, tonight at 19.29 local time (0.29 on 5 May Central European Time). The satellite will be brought into its final orbital position within the next weeks and will be made commercially available early July 2007 after extensive in-orbit testing. ASTRA 1L will be located at 19.2(degree) East, ASTRA s prime orbital position for delivering broadcast services to continental Europe, and will also transmit the increasing number of High Definition (HD) TV channels. The SES ASTRA satellite fleet delivers high quality broadcasting to over 109 million European homes. "We are very proud and satisfied that the ASTRA 1L launch has been a success", said Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA. "ASTRA 1L will allow us to move our satellite ASTRA 2C from 19.2(degree) East to 28.2(degree) East to fulfill the high capacity demand from the U.K. and Irish markets. It will also extend the coverage from the Canary Islands in the West to the Russian border in the East and help us to further strengthen our unique in-orbit back-up scheme. The success of the ASTRA 1L launch therefore is a milestone for SES ASTRA and shows that we have strengthened the fruitful cooperation with our launch partners, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems who built the satellite and Arianespace who was responsible for the launch." Pictures of the launch will be available under www.arianespace.com and via AFP, Reuters, EPA, AP, Service de Presse Kyodo, in Europe via AFP, ANP, ANSA, APA, Belga, DPA, EFE, Keystone, Lusa, Pressebild, and in Japan via JIJI press. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 12 satellites, transmitting 1,864 analogue and digital television and radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With 26 High Definition (HD) channels available via its satellites today, ASTRA is also the most important HDTV broadcasting platform in Europe. ASTRA s prime orbital positions are 19.2(degree) East, 28.2(degree) East, and 23.5(degree) East. Additional information on SES is available at: www.ses.com
Mike Terry
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