Launch Aboard Company’s Pegasus Rocket Scheduled in About 45 Days

Orbital Sciences
Corporation announced today that it has shipped the OrbView-3
high-resolution imaging satellite to its launch site at Vandenberg Air Force
Base (VAFB), CA. Upon arriving at VAFB, the spacecraft will be mated and
integrated with the company’s Pegasus launch vehicle that will carry the
OrbView-3 satellite into low-Earth orbit. Orbital built OrbView-3 for Orbital
Imaging Corporation (ORBIMAGE) at the company’s satellite manufacturing
facility in Dulles, VA. The satellite is currently scheduled to be launched
in approximately 45 days.

The OrbView-3 satellite will supply high-resolution optical imagery of the
Earth using its onboard camera that will take one-meter resolution
panchromatic (black-and-white) and four-meter resolution multispectral (color
and infrared) images of the entire planet. In its 470 km circular orbit
inclined at 97 degrees to the equator, the satellite will revisit all
locations on Earth in less than three days, enabling ORBIMAGE to continually
update its imagery catalogue. ORBIMAGE’s control center in Dulles, VA is
equipped to provide full telemetry, tracking and command of the OrbView-3
satellite, as well as the archiving of imagery data and the distribution of
the imagery products to customers.

Imagery from the OrbView-3 satellite will complement existing geographic
information system (GIS) data for commercial, environmental and civil
government and U.S. national security customers. One-meter panchromatic
imagery will clearly depict houses, automobiles and aircraft and will make it
possible to create precise digital maps and three-dimensional fly-through
scenarios. Four-meter multispectral imagery will help to characterize cities,
rural areas and undeveloped land.

Orbital’s Pegasus is the world’s leading launch system for the deployment
of small satellites into low-Earth orbit. Its patented air-launch system, in
which the rocket is launched from beneath Orbital’s “Stargazer” L-1011 carrier
aircraft over the ocean, reduces cost and provides customers with unparalleled
flexibility to operate from virtually anywhere on Earth with minimal ground
support requirements. The OrbView-3 mission will be the 34th flight of the
Pegasus rocket since its inaugural launch in 1990.

Orbital develops and manufactures small space systems for commercial,
civil government and military customers. The company’s primary products are
spacecraft and launch vehicles, including low-orbit, geostationary and
planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing and scientific
missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit;
and missile defense boosters that are used as interceptor and target vehicles.
Orbital also offers space-related technical services to government agencies
and develops and builds satellite-based transportation management systems for
public transit agencies and private vehicle fleet operators.

More information about Orbital can be found at http://www.orbital.com.

Note to Editors:

CONTACT: Barron Beneski, Public and Investor Relations of Orbital
Sciences Corporation, +1-703-406-5528, or Beneski.barron@orbital.com