Americom Asia-Pacific Announces GE-1A Satellite Successfully Launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Americom Asia-Pacific,
LLC (AAP) announced today the successful launch of its GE-1A satellite
at 22:00 UTC by ILS from the Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The
launch of GE-1A marks the operational beginning of Americom
Asia-Pacific, the joint venture formed by GE Americom and Lockheed
Martin Global Telecommunications.

Andreas Georghiou, AAP’s President who also serves as GE
Americom’s Senior Vice President of Global Satellite Services, said
“With next month’s operation of GE-1A, we look forward to realizing
our plan of bringing high-quality Ku-band satellite service to this
important region.” He continued “We are delighted with this first-ever
launch entrusted to the Proton.” Elias Zaccack, AAP’s Managing
Director, said “We were thrilled with today’s spectacular launch; we
have the right resources on the ground in each region so that ISPs,
telecommunications companies and broadcasters can take advantage of
the excellent technical features of GE-1A.”

GE-1A, a powerful Ku-band satellite, will be located at 108.2 E.L.
and provide service via three beams to greater China, south Asia
including India, and northeast Asia and the Philippines. The
spacecraft features 28 active 36 MHz Ku-band transponders with
120-watt TWTAs. The GE-1A satellite is an A2100AX spacecraft,
manufactured by Lockheed Martin, for a minimum useful life of 15
years. Expected to be fully operational by November 15, 2000, GE-1A
will deliver Internet applications, VSAT, data and telecommunications
services, cable and broadcast programming.

Americom Asia-Pacific (AAP) is a 50/50 joint venture company of
Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications, a provider of space-based
and terrestrial networking services to customers worldwide, and GE
Americom, one of the world’s pioneers in specialized, satellite-based
distribution services. Lockheed Martin is providing highly reliable
A2100 spacecraft and launch services on behalf of Americom
Asia-Pacific, while GE Americom is supplying the orbital slot
(108.2(degree)EL), satellite telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C)
and orbital location services.

Formed in 1998, the company will provide high-powered capacity and
state-of-the-art services to ISP’s and their customers, programmers,
telcos and carriers throughout the Asia-Pacific region. AAP has
established its headquarters in Singapore with additional sales and
technical support teams in Beijing and New Delhi.