Eutelsat W3B Satellite on Track for October 28 Ariane Launch

KOUROU, French Guiana and PARIS, October 4, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
– The W3B satellite of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) was
flown into French Guiana on September 30 and has been transferred to the
Guiana Space Centre to be readied for launch by Arianespace on October 28.
Lift-off of the Ariane 5 ECA launch vehicle is scheduled for October 28 in a
launch window opening at 21.51 to 23.17 GMT (23.51 to 01.17 CET).

Built by Thales Alenia Space, and weighing in at 5.4 tonnes, Eutelsat’s
new satellite will be located at 16 degrees East to renew and expand
resources at a longstanding orbital position that reaches out to some of the
most dynamic markets in the satellite business.

In addition to providing increased capacity for rapidly-expanding video
platforms in Central Europe and Indian Ocean islands, W3B will initiate a new
mission at 16 degrees East, with bandwidth and coverage for telecom operators
and Internet Service Providers in Africa to meet sustained demand for
enterprise networks and GSM connectivity.

Scheduled to enter service at 16degrees East in December this year, the
satellite will replace Eutelsat’s EUROBIRD(TM) 16, W2M and SESAT 1 satellites
which will all subsequently be redeployed to alternative positions.

    W3B's 56 transponders will be connected to four distinct footprints:

    - A high-power footprint of Central Europe for Direct-to-Home
      broadcasting;
    - A widebeam spanning Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and
      Central Asia for professional video links and data networks;
    - A high-power beam over Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands for
      DTH broadcasting;
    - A beam sweeping across Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean
      islands for regional telecoms and Internet services. Interconnectivity
      with Europe will also be possible via a combination of Ka-band
      frequencies in Europe and Ku-band frequencies in Africa.

The satellite’s launch marks the latest step in Eutelsat’s far-reaching
investment programme of seven satellites (W3B, KA-SAT, W3C, ATLANTIC BIRD(TM)
7, W5A, W6A, EUROBIRD(TM) 2) to be launched by early 2013 to expand, renew
and secure the Group’s in-orbit resources.

    W3B vital statistics

    Platform:                           Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000

    Dimensions:
    Height:                              5.8 m
    Length:                              2.0 m
    Width:                               2.2 m
    Width with solar panels deployed:    34 m
    Mass at launch:                      5.4 tonnes
    Power at end-of-life:                12 kW
    Operational life:                    15 years +
    Orbital position:                    16 degrees East

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is
the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 26
satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well
as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the
Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world’s three leading satellite operators in
terms of revenues. At 30 June 2010, Eutelsat’s satellites were broadcasting
more than 3,600 television channels. More than 1,100 channels broadcast via
its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 120
million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North
Africa. The Group’s satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile
telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and
broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime
and in-flight markets. Eutelsat’s broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and
operates access to high speed internet services through teleports in France
and Italy that serve enterprises, local communities, government agencies and
aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in
Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ nearly 661 commercial, technical
and operational employees from 28 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

SOURCE Eutelsat Communications