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Sea Launch Counts Down to Thuraya-2 Launch on June 10

LONG BEACH, Calif., June 7, 2003 - All systems are progressing as
planned for the Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander,
now positioned at the launch site on the Equator, where a countdown
is underway for a June 10 launch.

The international Sea Launch team is counting down to a 44-minute
launch window that will open at 6:56am PDT (13:56 GMT) June 10 for
the launch of the Thuraya-2 communications satellite. The team will
launch the Boeing GEM (GEO-mobile) satellite for Thuraya Satellite
Telecommunications Company of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The
Sea Launch vessels, the Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch
Commander, arrived at the launch site on June 5. 

The platform is now ballasted to its launch depth in preparation for
launch, providing a stable environment for both marine and launch
operations. The Sea Launch Commander is currently stationed alongside
the Odyssey and will be connected to the platform by a link bridge
during launch preparations. Prior to launch, the link bridge will
retract and the ship will move to a position three miles from the
platform. All marine crew and launch personnel will be stationed on
the ship throughout launch operations. 

Sea Launch's three-stage Zenit-3SL rocket will lift the 5,117 kg
(11,413 lb) spacecraft to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. In its final
orbital position, the satellite will be positioned in Geosynchronous
Orbit, 35,786 km (22,236 miles) above the Earth, at 44 degrees East
Longitude, inclined at 6.3 degrees, the optimum location for Thuraya
operations. 

Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS), based in El Segundo, Calif., built
the spacecraft. In addition to Thuraya's first satellite, BSS also
designed and built the ground system and supplied user handsets for
the Thuraya network, which provides mobile voice and data
communication services to a region of more than 100 countries in
Europe, the Middle East, North and Central Africa, and Central and
South Asia. In October 2000, Sea Launch successfully placed
Thuraya-1 - at 5,108 kg (11,260 lb), the heaviest commercial
spacecraft ever launched - into orbit. Thuraya-2 is designed to
further support Thuraya's regional mobile communications services,
including voice, fax and data.

Sea Launch will provide a live satellite broadcast and webcast of the
Thuraya-2 mission on June 10, beginning at 6:35am PDT. The launch
broadcast, featuring live video from the launch site as well as
commentary and interviews, may be down linked from satellite
coordinates posted at the following site:
http://www.boeing.com/nosearch/sealaunch/broadcast.html

A simultaneous live webcast will be posted at:

http://www.sea-launch.com/special/sea-launch/
current_index_webcast.html

Sea Launch Company, LLC, based in Long Beach, Calif., provides
reliable, cost effective, heavy lift launch services for commercial
satellite customers. The international partners include the Boeing
Commercial Space Company (U.S.), RSC Energia (Russia), SDO
Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash (Ukraine) and the Kvaerner Group (Norway). The
world's only system launching from the Equator, Sea Launch offers the
optimal starting point for spacecraft heading to Geostationary Orbit.
With the advantage of a launch site on the Equator, the proven
Zenit-3SL rocket can lift a heavier spacecraft mass or provide longer
life on orbit, offering best value plus schedule assurance. Sea
Launch currently has a current backlog of 16 firm launch contracts.
For additional information and images, visit the Sea Launch website
at: www.sea-launch.com.

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Contact:
Paula Korn
562.499.4729 or 562.254.5684 (cell)
paula.korn{at}sea-launch.com

On the morning of Launch Day only:

Dan Beck
562.951.7417 or 562.951.7418
daniel.c.beck{at}boeing.com

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