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

The communications satellite was launched by International Launch Services onboard a Proton vehicle at 5:09 a.m. in Baikonur (4:09 p.m. Saturday PST, 12:09 a.m. Sunday GMT, 8:09 a.m. Sunday Hong Kong). The spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle less than 7 hours later. AsiaSat 3S's first signals were received about 40 minutes after separation at the Daan Mogot Telemetry, Tracking and Control Station near Jakarta, Indonesia, confirming normal operation.

"Sunday's successful launch provides AsiaSat with a new, more capable satellite, ready to assume the services currently being offered by AsiaSat 1," said Tig Krekel, president and chief executive officer of Hughes Space and Communications Company. "We've provided AsiaSat with a very powerful new spacecraft with nearly 10,000 watts of power that will be ready for service in about 30 days."

AsiaSat 3S will be located at 105.5 degrees East and will provide television distribution and telecommunications service throughout Asia, the Middle East, Australasia, and the Commonwealth of Independent States. AsiaSat 3S is designed to provide a minimum of 15 years of service.

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