ADVISORY/ILS Proton to Launch AMC-9 Satellite.

News Editors/Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Mon.-Tues.(April 28-29)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Payload:                    AMC-9
                            Spacebus 3000B3 platform
                            Separated mass:  approx. 4,100 kg
                             (9,039 lbs)

Launch Vehicle:             Proton K/Breeze M
                            Weight at liftoff:  691,272 kg
                             (1.5 million lbs), including payload
                            Height: 61 m (200 ft)

Launch Date:                April 29, 2003 (Baikonur)
                            April 28, 2003 (GMT, U.S.)

Launch Window Opens:        4:15 a.m. Baikonur
                            22:15 GMT
                            6:15 p.m. EDT

Launch Site:                Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
                            Pad 39

End User:                   SES AMERICOM, Princeton, N.J.
                            Part of SES GLOBAL family of companies

Satellite Manufacturer:     Alcatel Space, Cannes, France

Launch Vehicle              Khrunichev State Research and Production
Manufacturer:                Space Center, Moscow

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


Satellite Use:              High-power communications satellite
                             operating at C- and Ku-band to expand
                             digital television broadcasting, data
                             transmission and telecommunications
                             services to North America

Satellite Statistics:       -- 1st delivery-in-orbit launch for
                               Alcatel by ILS
                            -- 8th Alcatel satellite launched by ILS
                            -- 5th ILS launch for AMERICOM
                            -- 16th in SES AMERICOM constellation
                            -- Orbital location: 85 degrees West
                               longitude
                            -- Anticipated service life of 15 years

Mission Profile:            The Proton launch vehicle will inject the
                             satellite into geosynchronous transfer
                             orbit, using a five-burn Breeze M mission
                             design. The first three stages of the
                             Proton will use a standard ascent
                             trajectory to place the Breeze M fourth
                             stage, with the satellite, into a
                             suborbital trajectory, from which the
                             Breeze M will place itself and the
                             spacecraft into a circular parking orbit
                             of 180 km (112 miles), inclined at 51.6
                             degrees. Then the satellite will be
                             propelled to its transfer orbit by
                             additional burns of the Breeze M.
                             Following separation from the Breeze M,
                             the spacecraft will perform a series of
                             liquid apogee engine burns to raise
                             perigee, lower inclination and
                             circularize the orbit at the
                             geostationary altitude of 36,000 km
                             (22,300 miles).

Target Orbit                 Apogee: 35,786 km
at Separation:               Perigee: 6,661 km
                             Inclination: 17.54 degrees

Spacecraft Separation:       Approximately 8 hours, 55 minutes after
                              liftoff

ILS Mission Statistics:      -- 300th Proton launch
                             -- 1st ILS Proton mission this year
                             -- 2nd ILS mission this year
                             -- 27th ILS mission on Proton since
                                formation of the U.S.- Russian joint
                                venture in 1995 -- 2nd ILS launch in a
                                month


Live Broadcast               AMC-4, 101 degrees West,
 in U.S.:                    analog, transponder 22/C-band, downlink
                              4140MHz (H);
                             digital, transponder 21/Ku-band, downlink
                              12120 MHz (V), FEC 3/4, 30 Msyms.
                             Test signals start at 5:30 p.m.
                              April 28 EDT

 in Europe:                  ASTRA 1G, 19.2 degrees East,
                             transponder 108, downlink 12551 MHz (V),
                              FEC 5/6

 in Asia:                    Spacenet 4, 172 degrees East,
                             digital, transponder 11/C-band, downlink
                               3913.5 MHz (H),
                             FEC 3/4, 6.11 Msyms

More Information:            Live webcast and general mission
                              information are available on the ILS web
                              site at www.ilslaunch.com.  Launch
                              status updates are available on the ILS
                              U.S. domestic Launch Hotline at
                              800/852-4980.