Boeing passed
a major milestone involving four continents today with the shipment of
two satellites that are set for a dual launch on an Ariane 4 rocket
from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana in the second half of
this month.

The satellites, JCSAT-8, which was built for JSAT Corp. of Tokyo,
and ASTRA 3A, built for SES ASTRA of Luxembourg, are the first
Boeing-built satellites to launch together on a single launch vehicle
in five years. Both companies are long-time customers of Boeing Space
and Communications (S&C), a unit of The Boeing Co. The
satellites were built in El Segundo, Calif., by Boeing Satellite
Systems, the satellite operations unit of Boeing S&C.

“Our last dual launch was in early 1996,” said Randy Brinkley,
president of Boeing Satellite Systems. “Getting two different
customers’ satellites ready for the same launch can only happen as a
result of a tremendous and highly coordinated effort by our factory,
our customers and the launch provider.”

JCSAT-8 is the 62nd Boeing 601 to be delivered. With 84 ordered to
date, the Boeing 601 is the world’s most-purchased satellite model.
JCSAT-8 is the fifth Boeing 601 and the seventh Boeing spacecraft for
the JSAT fleet. JCSAT-8 will provide coverage to Japan, East Asia,
Australia and Hawaii from the orbital slot of 154 degrees East
longitude.

ASTRA 3A is the 56th Boeing 376 to be delivered. The Boeing 376 is
second only to the Boeing 601 in popularity, with 57 ordered to date.
ASTRA 3A is the second Boeing 376 and the 10th Boeing satellite built
for SES ASTRA. ASTRA 3A will augment the existing SES ASTRA fleet of
12 spacecraft to help meet growing demand for digital satellite
services from the 23.5 degrees East orbital slot.

JSAT is a leading satellite operator in the Asia-Pacific region.
The company owns and operates eight satellites in seven orbital slots.
JSAT provides communications and broadcasting services that offer a
range of unique features made possible by satellite communications,
which is well suited to support the high-volume, wide-distribution,
high-speed networks.

The ASTRA Satellite System is Europe’s leading analogue and
digital satellite television broadcast system. At the end of 2000,
ASTRA served approximately 86% of all European satellite and cable
homes. ASTRA is owned and operated by SES ASTRA, a wholly owned
subsidiary of SES GLOBAL, the world’s premier satellite operator.

Boeing Space and Communications (S&C), with headquarters in Seal
Beach, Calif., is the world’s largest space and communications
company. A unit of The Boeing Co., S&C provides integrated solutions
in launch services, human space flight and exploration, missile
defense, and information and communications. It is NASA’s largest
contractor; a leading provider of space-based communications; the
primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; and a leading
provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The global
enterprise has customers worldwide and manufacturing operations
throughout the United States and Australia.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of the ASTRA 3A and JCSAT-8 spacecraft are
available upon request or can be downloaded from the Boeing Satellite
Systems Web site at:
www.boeing.com/satellite_pressreleases/photogallery/photogallery.html.