15IO Euro.bk. 36

RNS Number:6678A
Kvaerner PLC
19 March 2001


Fifth successful mission for Sea Launch

LONDON, 19 MARCH 2001: Sea Launch, in which Kvaerner, the Anglo-Norwegian
engineering and construction Group has a 20 per cent stake, last night made
the following announcement: 

A Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket today successfully lifted off from the Odyssey
Launch Platform on the Equator at 2:33 p.m. PST, placing the XM-2 digital
audio radio satellite into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) for XM
Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR). 

Named "Rock," the satellite is the first of two of the most powerful
spacecraft ever built by Boeing Satellite Systems, the world's leading
provider of commercial communications satellites. Sea Launch will immediately
begin preparing for the launch of the second satellite, XM-1, called "Roll,"
for launch in May, bringing "Rock and Roll" to the far corners of the
continental United States. 

"We're just delighted this mission has gone off so well," said Will Trafton,
president of Sea Launch, following today's launch. "Sea Launch is very excited
to be part of the XM Radio endeavour and we'd like to thank Boeing Satellite
Systems for making that happen. We now look forward to our next launch in May,
with XM-1, making this next generation of radio broadcasting in America a
reality. On this fifth successful mission for Sea Launch, preliminary
injection data indicates that the spacecraft was inserted precisely into GTO
with an injection accuracy of 22 meters high in perigee and 26.3 kilometres in
apogee. In the space business, that's a bull's-eye!" 

From the equatorial launch site at 154 degrees West Longitude, the Russian and
Ukrainian Zenit-3SL rocket soared into space exactly on schedule. All systems
onboard the three-stage expendable launch vehicle performed nominally. The
Block DM upper stage separated from the satellite some 1,600 miles over the
Indian Ocean, one hour and five minutes into the mission. Operators at a
ground station in Perth, Australia acquired a signal from the satellite at
approximately 3:43 p.m. PST. XM-2 will be positioned in Geosynchronous Orbit 
at 115 degrees West Longitude.

Designed for a 15-year lifespan, the 10,287-pound (4,666 kg) XM-2 is a Boeing
702 model spacecraft that will generate 18 kilowatts of total power at the
beginning of life in orbit. It uses the flight-proven xenon ion propulsion
system (XIPS) for all on-orbit manoeuvring. Alcatel Space, of Toulouse,
France, provided the high-power, S-band, Digital Audio Service payload. For
more information about the spacecraft, go to www.boeing.com/satellite and
www.alcatel.com/space 

XM Satellite Radio is creating and packaging up to 100 channels of digital
audio, including music, news, sports, talk, comedy and children's programming,
which will be transmitted directly to vehicles, homes and offices coast to
coast. The XM sound will combine leading brand-name channels with distinctive
formats produced in XM Radio's fully digital state-of-the-art studios by some
of the nation's leading artists, producers and radio format designers. For
more information, go to: http://www.xmradio.com

Sea Launch Company, LLC, is a global launch service serving a global
marketplace. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, with operations based at
Sea Launch Home Port in Long Beach Harbour, the multinational partnership
provides commercial satellite customers the most direct and cost-effective
route to geosynchronous orbit. 

With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the proven Zenit-3SL
rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or place a payload into a higher
perigee, offering high performance and best value. 


For more information, please go to: http://www.sea-launch.com

Press Contact: Paula Korn, +1 562 499 4729, paula.korn@sea-launch.com;  Paul
Emberley +44 (0)20 7339 1035 paul.emberley@kvaerner.com 

Note for editors:

Kvaerner is a world-class Anglo-Norwegian engineering and construction Group. 
It meets the needs of its customers by adding value to their business -
through the provision of innovative, cost-effective solutions - for challenges
in the hydrocarbons, process and metals industries.  The Group's activities
are currently organised in two core business areas: E&C (Engineering and
Construction), and Oil & Gas.  Kvaerner is a Norwegian registered business,
but has a London, UK-based international headquarters.  The Group has annual
revenues in excess of US$6 billion, with some 35,000 permanent staff located
in almost 35 countries throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Euro.bk. 36 (LSE:15IO)
Gráfico Histórico do Ativo
De Mai 2024 até Jun 2024

Euro.bk. 36 (LSE:15IO)
Gráfico Histórico do Ativo
De Jun 2023 até Jun 2024