HUGHES SPACE AND COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Public Relations Department P.O. Box 92919 (S10/S323) Los Angeles, CA 90009 Media Relations (310) 364-6363 Investor Relations (310) 662-9688 www.hughespace.com

Galaxy XR is the first of five launches of Hughes-built satellites scheduled this year for PanAmSat. HSC is a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation (NYSE:GMH), and PanAmSat (NASDAQ:SPOT) is 81 percent-owned by Hughes.

Liftoff of Galaxy XR was at 10:04 p.m. from the Guiana Space Center. The spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle approximately 20 minutes later. Satellite tracking stations in Daan Mogot, Indonesia, and Fillmore, Calif., received signals from the satellite about 42 minutes after launch, indicating systems are operating normally.

Over the next two weeks, controllers will fire the spacecraft's liquid apogee motor to circularize Galaxy XR in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles (36,000 km) above the equator. Then they will begin in-orbit tests to ensure that the 24 Ku-band and 24 C-band transponders operate properly. Galaxy XR will be located at 123 degrees West longitude, the fifth satellite in PanAmSat's Galaxy® cable neighborhood. It is expected to go into service in March 2000.

• 183rd Hughes-built spacecraft to be launched

• 143rd Hughes-built commercial communications satellite

• 13th HS 601HP model

• 52nd HS 601 model of any configuration

• 27th satellite built by HSC for PanAmSat.

HSC is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites, having built nearly 40 percent of those in operation. It also is a major supplier of spacecraft and equipment to the U.S. government, and a builder of weather satellites for the United States and Japan.

PanAmSat is the world's leading commercial provider of satellite-based communications services. The company operates a global network of 21 satellites supported by PanAmSat professionals on five continents. These resources enable PanAmSat to provide video and telecommunications services to the world's premier broadcasters and programmers as well as Internet and telecommunications companies. After Galaxy XR, PanAmSat plans to launch five additional satellites by mid-2001. For more information on the company and its services, visit the PanAmSat web site at http://www.panamsat.com.

Hughes Electronics is the world's leading provider of digital television entertainment, and satellite and wireless systems and services. The earnings of Hughes Electronics, a unit of General Motors Corporation, are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to the General Motors Class H common stock. Visit the Hughes Electronics website at http://www.hughes.com.