EchoStar Announces Launch Plans For Two New Satellites To Serve Its Fast Growing DISH Networkô Satellite TV Service

7-Feb-01

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH, DISHP) announced that its subsidiary, EchoStar Orbital Corporation has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin's International Launch Services (ILS) to provide launch services for the EchoStar VII and EchoStar VIII satellites, which also includes options for launch services for additional satellites. EchoStar VII and VIII are advanced, high powered direct broadcast satellites (DBS) featuring spot-beam technology that will allow EchoStar's DISH Networkô to offer the latest TV technologies and increased channel choices to its more than five million customers. EchoStar VII is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of this year on a Lockheed Martin Atlas III launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral, Florida. EchoStar VIII is expected to launch during the first quarter of 2002 on a Russian Proton K launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. EchoStar VII, expected to operate from the 119 degrees West Longitude (W.L.) orbital location, is being designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems in Sunnyvale, California. EchoStar VIII, which is expected to operate at the 110 degrees W.L. orbital location, is being designed and manufactured by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California. EchoStar VII and EchoStar VIII each will be capable of operating 32 DBS transponders, switchable to 16 transponders operating in a high powered mode. In addition to the transponders that provide national coverage, each satellite contains spot-beam transponders which have been designed to work together to increase and enhance the delivery of DISH Network's local channel services. DISH Network currently offers local channels featuring community-based news, weather, sports and entertainment to more than 34 metro areas nationwide, reaching more than 60 percent of the U.S. households. For more information about EchoStar and DISH Network, visit www.dishnetwork.com.

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