International Launch
Services (ILS) of the United States and Telesat, one of the world’s
leading satellite operators, are teaming up once again to launch a
satellite on a Russian rocket. Telesat announced today that it has
chosen an ILS Proton/Breeze M launch vehicle for the Anik F3 mission
in 2006. Financial terms were not disclosed.

This will be the fourth satellite for Telesat to be launched on a
Proton rocket by ILS, a Lockheed Martin joint venture. The
spacecraft is a Eurostar 3000 model built by EADS Astrium, similar to
the Anik F1R satellite that Telesat will launch with ILS on a Proton
vehicle in late 2005.

“We’re very happy to once again launch a Telesat satellite,” said
ILS President Mark Albrecht. “Proton vehicles successfully placed both
of the Nimiq satellites into orbit for Telesat’s direct-to-home
services. We know the Anik F satellites are important to Telesat’s
expanding business, and we thank Telesat for its continued
confidence.”

The Proton vehicle, built by Khrunichev State Research and
Production Space Center of Russia, has carried out more than 300
missions for the Russian government and commercial customers over
nearly 40 years. The rocket has a reliability record of 96 percent,
and 100 percent with the Breeze M upper stage. ILS and the Russian
government together have planned 10 launches for the Proton manifest
this year.

The Anik F3 contract is the fourth announced in 2004 by ILS, a
joint venture of Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the Atlas rocket,
and Khrunichev. ILS markets and manages commercial missions on both
the Proton and Atlas vehicles.

Albrecht noted that the Anik F3 launch will be the sixth for ILS
with a Eurostar 3000 satellite. Three have been scheduled for Proton
launches this year, including the successful mission with Eutelsat’s
W3A satellite last month. One is scheduled this year on an Atlas
vehicle. “Not only do we have a long-standing relationship with
Telesat, but we also are enjoying a growing partnership with EADS
Astrium,” Albrecht said.

“A proven track record of launch vehicle reliability and
competitive pricing have always been our top priorities when selecting
a launch service provider,” said Larry Boisvert, Telesat’s president
and CEO. “We look forward to working with ILS on a mission that will
help enable the continued growth of Telesat’s business across North
America.”