To all: Some good news!!
Orbital Awarded $260 Million Contract For Geostationary
Communications Satellites
VisionStar to Offer Broadband High-Speed Internet and Data Services, Video
Teleconferencing and Television Broadcasting
DULLES, Va., June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (Nasdaq: ORBI - news) announced today that
VisionStar, Inc. has awarded it a contract for two geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) communications satellites and launch
services, valued at approximately $260 million. VisionStar, a private company based in New York City, is licensed by
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to offer broadband communications services such as high-speed
Internet connections and data transmissions, video conferencing and broadcast programming. VisionStar controls a
geostationary orbital slot at 113 degrees West longitude, which is located directly over the central United States,
enabling the coverage footprint of the satellite to span the entire country, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
Mr. David W. Thompson, Orbital's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, ''We are very pleased to be selected
by VisionStar to build the geostationary satellite that will enable them to fulfill their goal of participating in the
fast-growing market for broadband data, high-speed Internet and video communications across the country. The
VisionStar contract is another indication that Orbital is a major player in the worldwide market for geostationary
satellites, having won this contract in a highly competitive process.''
VisionStar selected Orbital's proposal based on the satellite's high- performance characteristics and its lower
manufacturing, launch and acquisition costs compared to satellites offered by competitors. The initial design concept for
the VisionStar program calls for a satellite in the 2,000 kilogram-class with 30 Ka-band broadcast transponders. Under
the contract, Orbital's major responsibilities will be to design and manufacture the initial satellite, begin work on a
second spacecraft platform and procure launch services aboard a commercial rocket in the class of an Ariane 4 or 5 for a
shared launch, or a Delta III for a single payload mission.
Mr. Shant Hovnanian, VisionStar principal, stated, ''We selected Orbital as our satellite manufacturer after evaluating
competing proposals and we look forward to a successful satellite construction and launch process, culminating in the
commercialization of the VisionStar high-speed data communications project.''
Orbital is a $600 million space and information systems company with over 4,000 employees and operations in eight
states and several international locations. Headquartered in Dulles, Va., the company designs, manufactures, operates
and markets a broad range of affordable space infrastructure systems, satellite access products and satellite services.
These include satellites, launch vehicles, sensors and electronics, satellite ground systems and software, satellite-based
navigation and communications products, and satellite-delivered fixed and mobile communications and Earth imaging
services.
SOURCE: Orbital Sciences Corporation |
