-- HYLAS 4 to Expand Avanti s Broadband Communication Services to
Europe, the Middle East and Africa --
-- Orbital s Second Order from Avanti to be Based on Company s Higher
Capacity GEOStar-3 Satellite Platform --
DULLES, Va.Aug. 12, 2014--
Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) announced today that Avanti
Communications Group plc. (Avanti) has awarded the company a firm
contract to build the HYLAS 4 broadband communications satellite. Based
on Orbital s GEOStar-3 satellite platform, the HYLAS 4 satellite will
be designed, manufactured and tested at Orbital s satellite
manufacturing facility in Dulles, VA. The satellite will deliver up to
28 GHz of capacity in 66 fixed beams positioned over Africa and Europe.
A portion of the HYLAS 4 capacity will provide growth for Avanti s
existing markets with the remainder available for initiating service to
new coverage areas. HYLAS 4 is designed with four steerable beams that
also could serve markets in Latin America or Africa. It is planned for
launch by Arianespace in early 2017. HYLAS 4 will be the 27th
Orbital-built satellite launched into orbit aboard an Ariane rocket.
Mr. David Williams, Avanti s Chief Executive Officer, said,
We are pleased to have awarded a contract to Orbital as the
manufacturer of our fourth communications satellite. Orbital did an
excellent job providing us with the HYLAS 2 spacecraft, our first
high-throughput all-Ka-band satellite, which has outperformed its
technical specifications since its launch in 2012. We are pleased to
once again count on a trusted supplier for the new HYLAS 4 satellite.
Orbital s GEOStar-3 satellite platform, with its enhanced payload
capabilities, will help Avanti significantly expand its satellite fleet
and services in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
The HYLAS 4 satellite s payload will offer Ka-band services across the
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with significantly more
capacity than the HYLAS 2 satellite that Orbital built and delivered for
Avanti in 2012. In addition, the GEOStar-3-based HYLAS 4 spacecraft will
provide Avanti the benefits of higher payload capability while still
maintaining advantageous launch costs.
Commenting on the new contract award, Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital s
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, Orbital is honored and
thrilled to be selected by David Williams and his team at Avanti to
build their new HYLAS 4 satellite. This high-throughput/light-weight
satellite will set a new standard for affordability and flexibility in
its class, while also providing the high quality and dependability of
Orbital s reliable GEOStar product line of over 45 geosynchronous
spacecraft built or in production for many of the world s leading
operators. We look forward to contributing to Avanti s future growth
with the HYLAS 4 project.
Orbital s highly successful communications satellites are based on the
company s GEOStar satellite platform, which is able to accommodate all
types of commercial communications payloads. The GEOStar design is
optimized for satellite missions requiring up to 8 kilowatts of payload
power. The affordable GEOStar-2 and GEOStar-3 satellite platforms can be
built and delivered on schedules that are among the shortest in the
industry.
About Avanti Communications
Avanti Communications is a carriers carrier, selling wholesale data
telecoms products to service providers, which use them to create
networks for enterprise, carrier, government and consumer users.
Avanti s network consists of two high-throughput satellites in orbit,
HYLAS 1 and HYLAS 2, a multiband satellite called Artemis, plus a fourth
and a fifth satellite in construction called HYLAS 3 and HYLAS 4, as
well as an international fibre network connecting data centres in
several countries. Avanti Communications has GEO satellite network
spectrum filings in the ITU Master Register for Ka-band at 33.5 West
and 31.0 East and for Ka, Ku, S and L-band at 21.5 East. Avanti
Communications serves customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Visit www.avantiplc.com.
About Orbital
Orbital develops and manufactures small- and medium-class rockets and
space systems for commercial, military and civil government customers.
The company s primary products are satellites and launch vehicles,
including low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous-Earth orbit and planetary
exploration spacecraft for communications, remote sensing, scientific
and defense missions; human-rated space systems for Earth-orbit, lunar
and other 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 provides satellite
subsystems and space-related technical services to U.S. Government
agencies and laboratories. More information about Orbital can be found
at www.orbital.com.
Follow the company on Twitter @OrbitalSciences.
Source: Orbital Sciences Corporation
Orbital Sciences Corporation
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public
and Investor Relations
beneski.barron@orbital.com