News today concerning "ROCK" and "ROLL"
kS
Boeing Satellite Systems Inc.: 'XM Rock' Satellite Hits Critical In-orbit Milestones; 'XM Roll' Launch Slated for May 7
4/9/2001 7:28:00 AM
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA and LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, APR 9, 2001 (CCN
Newswire via COMTEX) -- XM Satellite Radio's first satellite, "Rock," has achieved several critical
performance milestones and continues easing toward its final orbital position. The company's second satellite,
"Roll," is scheduled for launch May 7.
The joint announcement was made today by XM (XMSR) and Boeing Satellite Systems Inc. (BSS), a unit of The
Boeing Co. (BA) .
"We have a bird in the air and another bird ready to fly," said XM President and CEO Hugh Panero. "XM is on
schedule for its summer rollout. XM-ready radios are on retail shelves, final chipsets are with our radio
manufacturers, and our broadcast studio is creating content."
"The satellite's communications antennas and solar wings have now been successfully deployed, following a
successful series of five firings of the satellite's on-board liquid apogee engine," said Randy H. Brinkley, president
of BSS. "The satellite's state of health continues to be excellent."
On March 18, Sea Launch successfully lifted "Rock" to geosynchronous transfer orbit from its Odyssey Launch
Platform in open waters of the Pacific Ocean on the equator, at 154 degrees West Longitude. The injection orbit
apogee was within 26.3 km of target and the perigee was within 22 meters of target, the most accurate injection
Sea Launch's Zenit-3SL vehicle has achieved to date.
"Roll" will also launch from Sea Launch's platform on the Equator. The Sea Launch Co., an international
partnership, is the world's only ocean-based commercial launch service provider. With the advantage of a launch
site on the equator, the proven Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or place a payload into a
higher perigee, offering high performance.
Both satellites will operate in geostationary orbit above the United States. By using two powerful satellites, each
with the same nationwide coverage, XM will ensure maximum signal and system reliability. All three XM satellites
-- "Rock," "Roll," and a spare in its final testing phase -- are Boeing 702 models, the most powerful commercial
satellites ever made, manufactured by BSS.
"Rock" and its twin "Roll" both have two 16.4-ft. folding deployable S-band transmit reflectors and one X-band
global receive antenna. The satellites span 132.5 feet in length and 46.6 feet in width with antennas fully deployed,
and have a total spacecraft power of 18 kilowatts. The satellites carry digital audio radio payloads that each
feature two active transponders generating approximately 3,000 watts of radio frequency power, making these
the most powerful commercial transponders ever built.
"Rock" will operate in a geostationary orbit at 115 degrees west longitude with a mass of 6,505 pounds (2,950
kg) in orbit. "Roll" will operate at 85 degrees west longitude.
XM will transform radio, an industry that has seen little technological change since FM, almost 40 years ago. XM
will offer up to 100 channels of digital-quality sound and provide coast-to-coast coverage of music, news, sports,
talk, comedy and children's programming. XM won several awards at the International Consumer Electronics
Show in January, including "Best of CES" in the automotive category.
XM's strategic investors include America's leading car, radio and satellite TV companies -- General Motors,
American Honda Motor Co. Inc., Clear Channel Communications, DIRECTV and Motient Corp. (MTNT) , the
company's largest shareholder. XM has a long-term distribution agreement with General Motors to integrate XM
radios into its vehicles commencing in 2001.
XM-ready radios are being manufactured by such household names as Sony, Alpine, Pioneer, Clarion,
Blaupunkt, Delphi-Delco, Visteon, Panasonic and Sanyo. Radios are being shipped to retailers including Best
Buy, Circuit City, RadioShack, Sears and Crutchfield. For more information, visit XM's Web site,
www.xmradio.com.
Boeing Satellite Systems Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites, and is
also a major provider of space systems, satellites and payloads for national defense, science and environmental
applications. For more information, visit BSS's Web site, www.boeing.com/satellite.
The Boeing Co., with headquarters in Seattle, is the largest aerospace company in the world and the United
States' leading exporter. It is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft, and the
largest NASA contractor. The company's capabilities in aerospace also include rotorcraft, electronic and defense
systems, missiles, rocket engines, launch vehicles, and advanced information and communication systems.
The company has an extensive global reach with customers in 145 countries and manufacturing operations
throughout the Untied States, Canada and Australia.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this
news release include uncertainties associated with the launch of the company's satellites, the company's
dependence on third-party vendors, its continuing need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in
XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 22,
2001. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department.
CONTACT: Boeing Satellite Systems Inc.
Diana Ball
(310) 662-7473
diana.ball@boeing.com
or
XM
Charles Robbins
(202) 380-4316
charles.robbins@xmradio.com
Copyright (C) 2001, Canadian Corporate News. All rights reserved.
NEWS RELEASE TRANSMITTED BY CCN NEWSWIRE - A SERVICE OF ITG
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CMT - Communications Technology
SUBJECT CODE: NWS - SPECIAL NEWS EVENTS |
