SSL delivers AsiaSat 6 to Cape Canaveral launch base

PALO ALTO, CA and HONG KONG, July 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Space Systems/Loral (SSL) and Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) today announced that AsiaSat 6 has arrived at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, where it will be launched by SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle next month, following the launch of AsiaSat 8 currently scheduled for next week.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140730/131310)

"AsiaSat, SpaceX and SSL are teaming on two consecutive launches," said John Celli, President of SSL.  "I'd like to congratulate everyone involved in successfully executing the logistics of both AsiaSat 8 and AsiaSat 6 at launch base and to thank our customer, AsiaSat for its ongoing confidence in SSL."

AsiaSat 6 is designed to provide broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband services across the Asia-Pacific region.  When launched, AsiaSat 6 will be positioned at 120 degrees East longitude where it will help fulfill the fast growing demand for quality satellite services.

"SSL and AsiaSat designed AsiaSat 6 with the flexibility and capability to provide high quality and reliable satellite services across the Asia Pacific," said William Wade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AsiaSat. "We are pleased that the satellite has arrived safely at the launch base and look forward to making new capacity available to our users and service providers."

Thaicom Public Company Limited (Thaicom) is a partner of AsiaSat on AsiaSat 6 and will be using half of the satellite's capacity to provide services under the name of Thaicom 7.

Equipped with 28 transponders, AsiaSat 6 has two beams, one global beam and one regional beam, offering region-wide coverage over Asia, Australasia, Central Asia, and the Pacific Islands, with enhanced power and look angles over Pacific Rim countries.

AsiaSat 6 is based on the highly reliable SSL 1300 platform, which provides the flexibility to support a broad range of applications and technology advances. It is the fourth satellite that SSL has provided to AsiaSat and the company continues to build an additional satellite, AsiaSat 9, which SSL counts among its backlog of 23 geostationary satellites.

About AsiaSat

Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), a leading satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world's population with its four satellites, AsiaSat 3S, AsiaSat 4, AsiaSat 5 and AsiaSat 7. The AsiaSat satellite fleet provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 450 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company's satellites offering access to over 710 million TV households across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat also provides telecommunications operators and end users services such as voice networks, private VSAT networks and broadband multimedia. AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8, are now at the Cape Canaveral launch base, under preparation for launch in August. AsiaSat 9 which is on order from SSL is planned to be launched in 2017. AsiaSat is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com.

About SSL

SSL has a long history of delivering reliable satellites and spacecraft systems for commercial and government customers around the world. As a 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, mobile communications, and Earth observation. Billions of people around the world depend on SSL satellites every day. For more information, visit www.sslmda.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information, which reflect the current view of Space Systems/Loral (SSL) with respect to future events and financial performance.  When used in this news 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. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Known risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: risks associated with operating satellites and providing satellite services, including satellite construction or launch delays, launch failures, in-orbit failures or impaired satellite performance; risks associated with satellite manufacturing, including competition, cyclicality of SSL's end-user markets, contractual risks, creditworthiness of customers, performance of suppliers and management of SSL's factory and personnel; risk associated with financial factors such as volatility in exchange rates, increases in interest rates, restrictions on access to capital, and swings in global financial markets; risks associated with domestic and foreign government regulation, including export controls and economic sanctions; and other risks, including litigation. The foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. The information contained in this news release reflects SSL's beliefs, assumptions, intentions, plans and expectations as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, SSL disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise the information herein.

SOURCE SSL