GeoEye, Inc. (Nasdaq: GEOY) announced today that United Launch Alliance (ULA) has initiated a change in the target launch date for GeoEye-1 from August 22 to September 4, 2008. This added time is needed to allow for the positioning of resources to support receipt of down-range telemetry from the Delta II booster vehicle after launch and initial flight from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. ULA has submitted a request for this revised launch date to the 30th Space Wing.
The aircraft for obtaining this support unexpectedly became unavailable, so ULA had to seek an alternative means of capturing this telemetry. ULA has taken the necessary steps and fully expects that this support will be in place for the new planned target launch date of September 4.
Bill Schuster, GeoEye’s chief operating officer said, “This activity is not related to either our GeoEye-1 satellite or to the booster’s readiness. The GeoEye-1 spacecraft has successfully completed all of its pre-launch checkouts prior to being mated to the booster which is now expected to happen the third week of August.”
The other significant item left to complete this launch is the re-test of a Range Safety antenna on the booster. This re-test is scheduled for completion on August 16. GeoEye-1 remains at the Payload Processing Facility at VAFB ready to be lifted and placed on top of the booster. The launch vehicle is stacked on the pad at Space Launch Complex 2 West. Booster processing continues. The launch time remains at 11:50:57 a.m. (PDT).
Boeing Launch Services is supporting the commercial launch of GeoEye-1 and procured the launch vehicle and associated support services from ULA.
GeoEye-1 will have the highest resolution of any commercial imaging system — 0.41-meters or 16 inches for panchromatic (black and white) imagery and multispectral (color) imagery at 1.65-meter resolution. The satellite is designed to offer three-meter accuracy, which means that end users can map natural and man-made features to within three meters of their actual locations on the surface of the Earth without ground control points. GeoEye-1 was financed in part by GeoEye’s approximate $500-million contract with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).
For more information about the launch of the GeoEye-1 satellite please visit: http://launch.geoeye.com. To receive timely, ongoing details about the development of GeoEye-1 products and services, sign up at http://launch.geoeye.com/LaunchSite/news/signup.aspx.
About GeoEye
GeoEye is the premier provider of geospatial information for the national security community, strategic partners, resellers and commercial customers to help them better map, measure and monitor the world. The Company is recognized as the industry’s trusted imagery expert for delivering reliable service and the exceptional quality of its imagery products and solutions. It operates a constellation of Earth imaging satellites, mapping aircraft and has an international network of ground stations, a robust imagery archive, and advanced imagery processing capabilities for developing innovative geospatial products and solutions. The Company also provides support to academic institutions and non-governmental organizations through the GeoEye Foundation. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, GeoEye is a public company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol GEOY. It maintains a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) and has achieved company-wide ISO accreditation. For more information, visit http://www.geoeye.com.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. GeoEye’s actual financial and operational results could differ materially from those anticipated. Additional information regarding these risk factors and uncertainties is described more fully in the Company’s SEC filings. A copy of all SEC filings may be obtained from the SEC’s EDGAR web site, http://www.sec.gov, or by contacting: William L. Warren, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, at 703-480-5672.
