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

This is the first launch of the year for Hughes Space and Communications Company (HSC) of Los Angeles, which has at least 20 satellites scheduled for liftoff in 1999.

JCSAT-6 is the sixth Hughes-built satellite for Japan Satellite Systems, Inc., (JSAT) of  Tokyo, and its fourth using the HS 601 configuration.

Liftoff is scheduled for between 7:44 and 9:23 p.m. Sunday EST (00:44 and 2:23 Monday GMT, 9:44 and 11:23 a.m. Monday in Tokyo aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas IIAS vehicle.

JCSAT-6 carries 32 active Ku-band transponders for general communications services such as broadcasting, telephony and data. Its two solar wings provide more than 5,000 watts of power. It will operate from 124 degrees East longitude.

Hughes is the world's leading manufacturer of commercial communications satellites, having built about a third of those in operation. HSC is a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation. The earnings of Hughes Electronics are used to calculate the earnings per share attributable to GMH (NYSE symbol) common stock.