EchoStar adds two birds

LITTLETON, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)—EchoStar Communications Corporation today announced that its subsidiary, EchoStar Orbital Corporation, has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin's International Launch Services (ILS) to provide launch services for the EchoStar VII and EchoStar VIII satellites, which also includes options for launch services for additional satellites.

EchoStar VII and VIII are advanced, high-powered direct broadcast satellites (DBS) featuring spot-beam technology that will allow EchoStar's DISH Network to offer the latest TV technologies and increased channel choices to its more than 5 million customers.

EchoStar VII is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of this year on a Lockheed Martin Atlas III launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Fla. EchoStar VIII is expected to launch during the first quarter of 2002 on a Russian Proton K launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

EchoStar VII, expected to operate from the 119 degrees West Longitude orbital location, is being designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems in Sunnyvale, Calif. EchoStar VIII, which is expected to operate at the 110 degrees W.L. orbital location, is being designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, Calif. EchoStar VII and EchoStar VIII each will be capable of operating 32 DBS transponders, switchable to 16 transponders operating in a high-powered mode. In addition to the transponders that provide national coverage, each satellite contains spot-beam transponders which have been designed to work together to increase and enhance the delivery of DISH Network's local channel services. DISH Network currently offers local channels featuring community-based news, weather, sports and entertainment to more than 34 metro areas nationwide, reaching more than 60 percent of the U.S. households.

ILS, headquartered in McLean, Va., is a joint venture stock company established in 1995. It is owned by Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services and the Lockheed Khrunichev Energia International joint venture. Its Atlas rockets and their Centaur upper stages are built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company-Astronautics Operations at facilities in Denver, Colo.; Harlingen, Texas; and San Diego, Calif. ILS offers the broadest range of launcher products in the world along with the highest reliability in the industry.