ADVISORY/ILS Atlas to Launch Last in Series of Navy Satellites.

Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Monday (Dec. 15)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Dec. 9, 2003

Payload:                Ultra-High Frequency Follow-On (UFO) F11
                        Mobile communications and data for all of the
                        Department of Defense and several government
                        agencies
                        Separated mass: Approx. 6,705 lbs (3,041 kg)

Launch Vehicle:         Atlas III
                        Weight at liftoff: 491,119 lbs (222,768 kg)
                        including payload
                        Fairing:  14 ft (4.2 m) diameter
                        Height: 175.7 ft (53.6 m)

Launch Date:            Monday, Dec. 15, 2003

Launch Window:          120 minutes
                        9:38 p.m.-11:38 p.m. EST
                        02:38-04:38 Dec. 16 GMT

Launch Site:            Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
                        Launch Complex 36, Pad B

End User:               U.S. Navy

Launch Customer/        Boeing Satellite Systems,
Satellite Manufacturer: El Segundo, Calif.

Launch Vehicle          Atlas vehicle and Centaur upper stage built by
Manufacturer:           Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver,
                        Colo.; San Diego, Calif.; and Harlingen,
                        Texas.

Launch Services
Provider:               International Launch Services., McLean, Va.

Satellite Statistics:   -- 11th satellite in the UFO series
                        -- UHF and EHF payloads

Mission Profile:        Standard Atlas III ascent profile, with
                        two-burn Centaur mission using guidance
                        commanded shutdown at geosynchronous transfer
                        orbit

Spacecraft Separation:  Approximately 32 1/2 minutes after liftoff

Nominal Orbital
Parameters:             Apogee Altitude:       19,387 nmi (35,908 km)
(@ Separation)          Perigee Altitude:      155 nmi (287 km)
                        Inclination:           27 deg
                        Argument of Perigee:   178 deg

ILS Mission Stats:      -- 4th flight of Atlas III
                        -- 5th mission on Atlas this year
                        -- 6th and final mission for ILS in 2003
                        -- 25th Atlas launch of a Boeing 601 bus
                        -- Atlas has perfect record in 67 consecutive
                           flights

Pre-launch              10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15 (Launch Day)
News Briefing:          Radisson at the Port
                        8701 Astronaut Blvd.
                        Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Remote Camera Set-up:   Photographers should meet at Cape Canaveral
                        Air Force Station Pass & ID at  9 a.m. for
                        escort to pad.

Press Viewing:          Accredited press covering the launch should
                        meet at Pass & I.D. at 8 p.m. Dec. 15 for Air
                        Force badging and escort to Press Site 1

Live Broadcast:         Galaxy 3, transponder 5, C-band, 95 degrees
                        West
                        Downlink:  3800 MHz (horizontal)
                        Test signals to begin at 9 p.m. EST

More Information:       General mission information and live launch
                        webcast are available on the ILS website at
                        www.ilslaunch.com.  Launch status is available
                        on the ILS U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at
                        1-800-852-4980.