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Alcatel Alenia Space to provide the radar system for the Korean earth observation satellite KOMPSAT5

16 March 2006

Alcatel Alenia Space signed a contract with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the Republic of South Korea Space Agency, to provide a SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) payload system for KOMPSAT-5, the main Earth observation space program of the Republic of South Korea.

The KOMPSAT-5 program's main objective is to develop, launch and operate an Earth observation SAR satellite system to provide images for geographic information applications and to monitor and prevent environmental disasters.

The KOMPSAT-5 program started on July 1st, 2005. The launch of the satellite is scheduled for the end of 2008, with the objective to complete the in-orbit test during the first half of 2009.

As prime contractor, Alcatel Alenia Space will be responsible for providing a Synthetic Aperture Radar for X-band multimode images, including the data link subsystem for gathering the data transmitted by the radar, archiving them and subsequently transmitting them to the ground station. In addition, the company will also provide the ground SAR image processor as well as the calibration algorithms and equipments. The SAR will be developed and provided by Alcatel Alenia Space's Italian facilities.

Carlo Alberto Penazzi, Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel Alenia Space in Italy, said: "This contract further strengthens the solid ties between our company and the Republic of South Korea and reaffirms, at an international level, the value of Alcatel Alenia Space's satellite technology in the field of Earth observation and radar systems".

About Alcatel Alenia Space
Alcatel Alenia Space is the European leader in satellite systems, at the forefront of orbit infrastructures. Created in July 2005, the company brings together the vast experience and know-how of Alcatel Space and Alenia Spazio to form a new leading force in European space technology. Alcatel Alenia Space represents a worldwide standard for space development that impacts everybody's future: from navigation to telecommunications, from meteorology to environmental monitoring, from defense to science and observation. Alcatel Alenia Space is an Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) (67%) and Finmeccanica (Milan:SIFI.MI, FNC.IM) (33%) company.