Space Systems/Loral Press Release - April 20, 2011

Space Systems/Loral Announces Early Delivery of Telstar 14R

-- Communications Satellite Built for Telesat Has Arrived in Kazakhstan to Begin Preparations
    for Late May Launch


Space Systems Loral logo



PALO ALTO, Calif., April 20, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Space Systems/Loral (SS/L), the world's leading provider of commercial satellites, today announced that Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2 was delivered ahead of schedule for the start of its launch campaign. The satellite, designed and built for Telesat, one of the world's leading satellite operators, arrived earlier today at the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan, where it will be launched in late May aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M vehicle provided by International Launch Services (ILS).

Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2 is shown here in the antenna test facility at Space Systems/Loral before being shipped to launch base.

Space Systems/Loral Announces Early Delivery of Telstar 14RA photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9552


"It is a great credit to the combined efforts of Space Systems/Loral and Telesat that Telstar 14R/ Estrela do Sul 2 was completed in less than two years' time," said Dan Goldberg, Telesat's President and CEO. "When our newest satellite goes into service this summer, it will provide significant benefits to our current and prospective customers, including roughly double the capacity of the satellite it replaces as well as significantly improved geographic coverage and higher power."

Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2 is a Ku-band satellite that will deliver services to growing markets that include Brazil, the Continental United States, the North Atlantic Ocean Region, as well as the Andean and Southern Cone region of South America. The satellite has 46 Ku-band transponders and five antenna beams with on-orbit switching capability that will allow its capacity to be reconfigured depending on market demand.

"Great teamwork, dedication and focus enabled us to deliver Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2 well ahead of schedule," said John Celli, president of SS/L. "For Telesat's customers, the satellite will bring valuable communications capability to some relatively remote parts of the world. It is heartening to know that the satellites that we design and build at SS/L can improve people's lives by contributing to better healthcare delivery and education, and much needed infrastructure when emergency services are required."

Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2 will be positioned at 63 degrees West longitude, replacing Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul which was also built by SS/L. The new satellite is based on the highly reliable Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform and has 27 Ku-band transponders that are fixed and 19 that are switchable. With approximately 12-kW of end of life power, Telstar 14R is designed to deliver service for 15 years or more.

About Telesat

Telesat is a leading global fixed satellite services operator providing reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions worldwide to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers. The company has a state-of-the-art fleet of 12 satellites with three more under construction including the Canadian Ka-band payload on ViaSat-1, is preparing to launch Telstar 14R, and manages the operations of additional satellites for third parties. Telesat is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices and facilities around the world. Privately held, its principal shareholders are Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Loral Space & Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:LORL).

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

The Space Systems/Loral logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8824

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 2010 annual report on Form 10-K filed March 15, 2011. 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.


CONTACT:
Media Contact: Wendy Lewis
Space Systems/Loral
+1 (650) 852-5188
Source: Loral Space & Communications Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media

Watch a video of the Telstar 14R/Estrela do Sul 2










Posted  5/30/2011