ECHOSTAR BUYS TWO SPOT BEAM DBS SATELLITES, ONE Ka/Ku BIRD

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March 13, 2000

ECHOSTAR BUYS TWO SPOT BEAM DBS SATELLITES, ONE Ku/Ka BIRD

EchoStar Communications Corporation has contracted for three new satellites. EchoStar 7 and 8 will be advanced, high-powered direct broadcast satellites (DBS). EchoStar 9 will be a hybrid Ku/Ka-band satellite. Delivery of EchoStar 7 and EchoStar 8 is expected by late 2001, with delivery of EchoStar 9 expected during 2002. EchoStar 7, expected to operate at 119°W, will be manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. EchoStar 8, expected to operate at 110°W, and EchoStar 9, expected to operate at 121°W, will be built by Space Systems/ Loral. Echostar 7 and 8 will include spot-beam technology that will allow Echostar to offer local channels to 60 plus markets across the United States. They will each be capable of operating 32 DBS transponders at 120 watts each, switchable to 16 transponders operating at 240 watts each. The spot beam payloads for each satellite have been designed to work together to maximize the number of local spot markets served across the United States, while providing mutual back up to offer increased reliability to customers. EchoStar 7, is based on the Lockheed Martin A2100 AX satellite bus. Space Systems/Loral, based in Palo Alto, Calif., will build EchoStar 8, an SS/L FS1300 series spacecraft. Space Systems/Loral will also design and build EchoStar 9, a slightly larger SS/L FS1300 series spacecraft. EchoStar 9 will be capable of operating 32 Ku band transponders at 110 watts each, in addition to the Ka band payload. Financial details were not disclosed.

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March 13, 2000

Andrews Space & Technology