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Thales Alenia Space statement concerning Eutelsat W5

03 September 2008

Cannes, Septembre 8, 2008 - The W5 satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications experienced an anomaly on June 16, 2008, concerning its power supply subsystem.

An inquiry board was immediately set up, and after extensive studies, has issued a ruling concerning the definitive loss of one of the satellite's two solar panels. Eutelsat, in conjunction with experts from Thales Alenia Space, reconfigured the satellite to cope with the loss of onboard power, leading to four transponders being shut down. This incident has reduced the satellite's remaining service life, which should be shorter than three years.

The companies have paid particular attention to preparing for the upcoming eclipse, in order to guarantee correct satellite operation during this period. To maintain current operating conditions, another transponder will be shut down, thus providing the additional margin needed for thermal control and battery charging.

The Eutelsat W5 satellite, launched on November 22, 2002, is based on an SB3000 platform and is fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders.

About Thales Alenia Space
European leader in satellite systems and a major player in orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio embody the two groups' "Space Alliance". Thales Alenia Space sets the global standard in solutions for space telecoms, radar and optical Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and science. The company has a total of 7,200 employees and 11 industrial sites, with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium. www.thalesaleniaspace.com