The HOT BIRD(TM) 8 broadcasting satellite built by EADS Astrium for Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) arrived this morning at the Baikonur Cosmodrome for launch on a Proton M Breeze M vehicle provided by ILS. Launch is scheduled in the night of 4 to 5 August.

Weighing in on the launchpad at 4.9 tonnes and equipped with 64 Ku-band transponders, HOT BIRD(TM) 8 will be the largest satellite yet orbited by Eutelsat. Designed for television and radio broadcasting it will be positioned at 13 degrees East, Eutelsat’s prime video neighbourhood, which delivers 950 television channels and 600 radio stations to 110 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

The satellite’s mission is to replace the 20 transponders on the HOT BIRD(TM) 3 satellite, which will continue service at a new location. In conjunction with HOT BIRD(TM) 7A, which was launched in February 2006, it will also contribute to raising in-orbit redundancy at Eutelsat’s HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood.

    Prime contractor        EADS Astrium
    Platform                Eurostar 3000
    Mission                 TV and radio broadcasting
    Orbital position        13 degrees East
    Coverage                Europe, North Africa, Middle East
    Launcher                Proton M Breeze M
    Span in-orbit           39 m with solar panels deployed
    Launch mass             4875 kg
    Life span               > 15 yrs
    Payload                 64 Ku-band transponders
    Electric power          13 kW
    Downlink frequencies    10.70 - 12.75 GHz

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A. The Group is a leading satellite operator with capacity commercialised on 23 satellites providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas. The Group is one of the world’s three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. Its satellites are used for broadcasting nearly 1,800 TV and 900 radio stations to more than 120 million cable and satellite homes. The Group also provides TV contribution services, corporate networks, mobile positioning and communications, Internet backbone connectivity and broadband access for terrestrial, maritime and inflight applications. Eutelsat Communications is headquartered in Paris, and the Group’s workforce comprises over 480 from 27 countries.

www.eutelsat.com

For further information:

Press:

Vanessa O’Connor
Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
voconnor@eutelsat.fr

Frederique Gautier
Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88
fgautier@eutelsat.fr

Investors:

Gilles Janvier
Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-35
investors@eutelsat-communications.com

About EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment.

EADS Astrium is a subsidiary of EADS SPACE. In 2005 EADS SPACE had a turnover of EUR2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services.

In 2005, EADS generated revenues of EUR34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.

www.space.eads.net

For further information:

Remi Roland
+33-1-42-24-27-34
remi.roland@eads.net

Frederic-Pierre Isoz
+33-1-42-24-28-77
frederic-pierre.isoz@eads.net