Boeing Awards Ka-band Antenna Project for DirecTV Satellites to Harris Corp.

MELBOURNE, Fla., Nov. 4/Satnews Daily/ ¾ Boeing Satellite Systems has awarded Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) a two-year contract to provide primary spot-beam communications antennas for the next three DirecTV satellites being built by Boeing.

Under terms of the contract, Harris will design, develop, build, test, deliver and support the integration of the Ka-band multi-beam antennas for the three DirecTV satellites. Harris will provide the "East" and "West" communications antenna pallets, which include solid graphite reflectors, feed horns, support structures and deployment systems.

The Harris antennas utilize multi-beam technology and extensive frequency reuse to greatly enhance each DirecTV satellite's capacity. The antennas will enable DirecTV to provide substantial new services, including hundreds of local and national High- Definition TV (HDTV) channels, and downlink the new expanded services to DirecTV customers across the continental U.S., Hawaii and Alaska.

Howard L. Lance, Harris Corp. chairman and president said the project is a significant win for Harris and complements its broader strategy of providing end-to-end communications solutions for the broadcast industry, from ground-based radio and TV transmission systems to spaceborne antennas.

Awarded to Boeing in 2004, the contract to provide the three newest DirecTV satellites is indicative of the nation's long-awaited transition to HDTV. The satellites, slated for launch in 2007, will provide new program offerings and increased broadcast capacity -- boasting more than 1,000 additional local HDTV channels; more than 150 national HDTV channels; and other new program offerings.

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