PanAmSat announced that its Galaxy 16 satellite had successfully soared into space at 3:50 a.m. ET. Launched into orbit by Sea Launch, Galaxy 16 is the 24th satellite in PanAmSat’s fleet and its 11th over the United States. The satellite, to be located at 99 degrees west longitude, will replace Galaxy 4R, and join the number-one neighborhood of satellites in the U.S. This is PanAmSat's 43rd satellite since the launch of Galaxy 1 in 1983.

"We promised customers that we would have the most extensive and reliable neighborhood of satellites in the U.S. to deliver standard and HDTV television channels and Galaxy 16 expands on that reality. We've also promised shareholders to build satellites in a capital efficient manner and to launch them with our customers’ design requirements. And that's exactly what we've done: Galaxy 16 takes over for Galaxy 4R and the satellite is nearly sold out," said Joe Wright, CEO, PanAmSat. "Galaxy 16 is a broadcasters' dream satellite. With its remarkable power and expansive footprint reaching from Maine to Alaska and Hawaii, it can deliver today and tomorrow's technological advancements. In addition to providing the very clearest broadcast signal, this versatile spacecraft has the digital muscle to deliver IPTV, HDTV or VOD. Galaxy 16 is one blockbuster of a satellite for existing and emerging technologies."

Galaxy 16, a Space Systems/Loral 1300 series satellite, took off into space from the Odyssey Launch Platform on a Zenit-3SL rocket, leaving the earth for its final destination 22,300 miles over the U.S. With its 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band payloads, the satellite will be home to the leading names in television such as: ABC, Comcast, FOX Broadcasting, Warner Bros., Buena Vista and Televisa as well as major customers such as National Public Radio (NPR) and Hughes Network Systems (HNS). This launch brings PanAmSat’s customers its trademark reliability and flexibility. With on-time satellite replacements to ensure continual service, two in-orbit spares and a ground spare ready for launching in 4Q 2006, PanAmSat offers customers the industry’s best back-up plan and restoration service.

The Loral 1300 satellite platform was first introduced in the mid-1980s and has been developed to deliver increasingly higher power, greater flexibility and longer mission life. The 1300 series has a total satellite power capability ranging from 5 to 25 kW continuously throughout the life of the spacecraft and is able to support from as few as 12 active transponders to as many as 150 transponders.

Galaxy 16 Highlights:

• PanAmSat’s 11th satellite currently over the United States, the 24th in its fleet.
• PanAmSat’s fourth Space Systems/Loral satellite
• PanAmSat’s fourth Sea Launch mission
• PanAmSat’s 15th consecutive successful launch
• Nearly sold-out payloads prior to launch
• Part of PanAmSat’s coveted U.S. Galaxy neighborhood of 11 satellites
• PanAmSat’s 43rd satellite since the launch of Galaxy 1 in 1983.