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| LUNAR FLY-BY -- Hughes Global Services, Inc., will make the first commercial use
of the moon when it salvages a stranded satellite in May. The satellite was
left in an unusable Earth orbit last Christmas Day, when the rocket carrying it
shut down prematurely. The satellite was to have provided communications
services for Asia and adjoining regions. Hughes Global Services obtained the
title to the satellite, and is executing a series of maneuvers that will
eventually send it around the moon. Using lunar gravity to assist in changing
the orbital characteristics, the satellite will fly back toward Earth and is
expected to be placed in geosynchronous orbit. During the salvage mission, the
satellite will be spinning with its main antennas extended for stability.
Hughes Space and Communications Company built the satellite, an HS 601HP model.
Hughes Global Services and Hughes Space and Communications are units of Hughes
Electronics Corporation.
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HUGHES GLOBAL SERVICES, INC. HUGHES SPACE AND COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Communications and Customer Relations P.O. Box 92919 (S10/S323) Los Angeles, CA 90009 (310) 364-6363 www.hughesglobal.com www.hughespace.com |
98PR-00601 c
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