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HUGHES' MARC JOHANSEN RECEIVES AWARD FROM AMERICAN ASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETY

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Nov. 19, 1998 -- Marc C. Johansen, manager of military space requirements at Hughes Space and Communications Company, has received the 1998 Lloyd V. Berkner award from the American Astronautical Society for "outstanding contributions in establishing U.S. Government policy and procedures that greatly assisted the creation of a successful and competitive commercial space launch industry." The former Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Space Acquisition and Management from Feb. 1997 to Sept. 1998 was recognized for his leadership in the Pentagon and on the White House Staff for developing policy which encouraged the establishment of a viable U.S. commercial space transportation industry. The award comes to the former Air Force colonel less than two months after retiring from 24 years of active service and joining Hughes.

According to the American Astronautical Society, Johansen led the effort within the Pentagon to use commercial launch services. As a result of his work, the Department of Defense will no longer exclusively operate its own launch vehicles, but instead, will become a customer for cost-effective commercial launch services, and will allow the private sector to use excess government facilities and equipment. The sharing of improvement costs by the commercial and government sectors will help make U.S. industry more competitive in the world marketplace.

"I am proud and honored to receive this award from the AAS. However, I am even more satisfied that the wall between commercial space and military space is tumbling down and that each can leverage off the strength of the other," Johansen said. "This synergy will benefit our national security as well as strengthen our commercial space industry."

Hughes Space and Communications Company, a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation, 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, and a builder of weather satellites for the United States and Japan. Current government programs for the ISO 9001 company include the next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), and the Ultra High Frequency Follow-On (UHF F/O) satellites, all based on Hughes' commercial HS 601 satellite design.

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

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