4th Aug 2008 13:00
PROTON LAUNCH OF INMARSAT-4 F3 SATELLITE DELAYED
BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, August 4, 2008 - The launch of a Proton M / Breeze M vehicle, with the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite, has been delayed to allow time to replace and retest a launcher electrical component.
A fault was discovered during testing of the rocket stage, following attachment of the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite to the launch vehicle. This occurrence is being announced simultaneously by Khrunichev State Research and Production Centre - the launch vehicle builder, International Launch Services and by Inmarsat. The companies anticipate that the delay will be a matter of days and will provide a further update as soon as possible.
Comments Eugene Jilg, Chief Technology Officer, Inmarsat plc:
"This is the kind of incident that these final, thorough tests are intended to disclose; the system has worked. Inmarsat is working with ILS and Khrunichev to understand fully the cause, corrective action, and retest programme. We will take whatever time is necessary to ensure this matter does not inhibit a successful launch. That said, we do not currently expect a delay to be more than a matter of days."
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About Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc (LSE: ISAT) is the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications. Since 1979, Inmarsat has been providing reliable voice and high-speed data communications to governments, enterprises and other organisations, with a range of services that can be used on land, at sea or in the air. The company's services are delivered through a global network of more than 500 distribution partners and service providers operating in 180 countries. For the year ended 31 December 2007, Inmarsat plc had total revenue of US$ 576.5 million. More information can be found at www.inmarsat.com.
About ILS and Khrunichev
ILS provides satellite customers with a complete array of services and support, from contract signing through mission management and on-orbit delivery. ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton, Russia's premier heavy-lift vehicle, to commercial satellite operators worldwide, as well as the Angara next-generation launcher. ILS is a U.S. company incorporated in Delaware, and headquartered in McLean, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.ilslaunch.com.
Khrunichev, which holds the majority interest in ILS, is one of the cornerstones of the Russian space industry. Khrunichev manufactures the Proton system and is developing the Angara launch system. The Proton launches from facilities at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and has a heritage of more than 330 missions since 1965. Khrunichev includes among its branches a number of key manufacturers of launch vehicle and spacecraft components in Moscow and in other cities of the Russian Federation. For more information, visit www.khrunichev.ru.
For more information, please contact:
For investor queries:
Simon Ailes
Inmarsat
Telephone: +44 20 7728 1518
Email: [email protected]
For media queries:
Chris McLaughlin
Inmarsat
Telephone: +44 20 7728 1015
Mobile: +44 7796 276033
Email: [email protected]
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