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Press release
Evry, June 20, 2003
Success of the 1680th launch of Soyuz

The 1680th flight of a Soyuz family launch vehicle (Molnia) was
performed Friday, June 20, 2003 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in
Russia at 0:34 a.m. Moscow time (10:34 p.m., in Paris).

Starsem and its Russian partners report that the governmental
spacecraft was accurately placed on the target orbit.

This was the 6th Soyuz family mission in 2003.

Soyuz sustained launch rate confirms its position as one of the
world's primary launch vehicles. This rate also demonstrates Samara
Space Center's continuous production capacity, as well as the
operational capability of launch teams at Baikonur under the
authority of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency.

Starsem is the Soyuz Company, bringing together all key players
involved in the production, operation and international commercial
marketing of the world's most versatile launch vehicle. Shareholders
in Starsem are Arianespace, EADS, the Russian Aviation and Space
Agency and the Samara Space Center.

The Starsem manifest for Soyuz missions currently includes contracted
launches for the European Space Agency, Eumetsat and Space
Systems/Loral.

For further information,
please contact
Claire COULBEAUX
+ 33 (0) 1 69 87 01 10
communication{at}starsem.com

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