ASTRA 1L Satellite Successfully Launched

SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), is pleased to
announce that its new ASTRA 1L satellite has been successfully
launched into orbit. ASTRA 1L roared into space onboard an Ariane 5
ECA rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, tonight at 19.29 local time
(0.29 on 5 May Central European Time). The satellite will be brought
into its final orbital position within the next weeks and will be made
commercially available early July 2007 after extensive in-orbit
testing.

ASTRA 1L will be located at 19.2(degree) East, ASTRA's prime
orbital position for delivering broadcast services to continental
Europe, and will also transmit the increasing number of High
Definition (HD) TV channels. The SES ASTRA satellite fleet delivers
high quality broadcasting to over 109 million European homes.

"We are very proud and satisfied that the ASTRA 1L launch has been
a success", said Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA.
"ASTRA 1L will allow us to move our satellite ASTRA 2C from
19.2(degree) East to 28.2(degree) East to fulfill the high capacity
demand from the U.K. and Irish markets. It will also extend the
coverage from the Canary Islands in the West to the Russian border in
the East and help us to further strengthen our unique in-orbit back-up
scheme. The success of the ASTRA 1L launch therefore is a milestone
for SES ASTRA and shows that we have strengthened the fruitful
cooperation with our launch partners, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space
Systems who built the satellite and Arianespace who was responsible
for the launch."

Pictures of the launch will be available under www.arianespace.com
and via AFP, Reuters, EPA, AP, Service de Presse Kyodo, in Europe via
AFP, ANP, ANSA, APA, Belga, DPA, EFE, Keystone, Lusa, Pressebild, and
in Japan via JIJI press.

About SES ASTRA www.ses-astra.com

SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in
Europe, delivering services to more than 109 million DTH and cable
households. The ASTRA satellite fleet currently comprises 12
satellites, transmitting 1,864 analogue and digital television and
radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia,
internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments
and their agencies. With 26 High Definition (HD) channels available
via its satellites today, ASTRA is also the most important HDTV
broadcasting platform in Europe. ASTRA's prime orbital positions are
19.2(degree) East, 28.2(degree) East, and 23.5(degree) East.

SES ASTRA is an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG). SES owns
three market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES
AMERICOM in North America, and SES NEW SKIES, which provide global
coverage and connectivity. The Company also holds strategic
participations in SES Sirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in
Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions
via a fleet of 36 satellites in 25 orbital positions around the globe.
Additional information on SES is available at: www.ses.com