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


HUGHES' SIRIUS 3 SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED FROM FRENCH GUIANA

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6, 1998 -- Sirius 3 was successfully launched last night from an Ariane rocket in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite, a high-power HS 376 spacecraft built by Hughes Space and Communications Company for Nordiska Satellitaktiebolaget of Sweden, is the 52nd HS 376 to be built by Hughes. It was the 7th launch of the year for Hughes.

Liftoff was at 7:51 p.m. in Kourou onboard an Arianespace Ariane 44L rocket. The spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle about 25 minutes later. Sirius 3's first signals were received about two hours after launch at the Eastern Hemisphere Telemetry, Tracking and Control Station, located near Sydney, Australia, confirming normal operation.

Sirius 3 is the third satellite in NSAB's fleet, and will provide direct-to-home television services to the Scandinavian region. With 15 Ku-band transponders powered by 44-watt traveling-wave tube amplifiers, the spacecraft will generate a minimum of 1400 watts at the end of its 12-year service life.

NSAB's first satellite, Sirius 1, was also built by Hughes. The HS 376 satellite was originally named Marcopolo 1 and was owned by British Satellite Broadcasting Ltd. Launched in 1989, the satellite was acquired in-orbit by NSAB in 1993 and renamed Sirius 1.

Hughes Space and Communications Company, a unit of Hughes Electronics, is the world's leading manufacturer of geostationary commercial communications satellites, and is also a major supplier of spacecraft and equipment to the United States government. It is also a builder of weather satellites for the United States and Japan.

The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock.

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