Steven Dorfman Joins ProtoStar's Board of Directors

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Dec. 7, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — ProtoStar, a provider of direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television services in the Asia-Pacific region, has announced that Steven Dorfman has joined its board of directors. 

Dorfman, who retired as vice chairman of Hughes Electronics, is a recognized world leader in  satellite communications. Dorfman served as CEO of Hughes Space, the world's leading builder of communication satellites, Hughes Communications, a leading owner and operator of communication satellites, and Hughes Telecommunications and Space, a unit responsible for the above businesses plus the international development of DirecTV.

While CEO of Hughes Communications, Dorfman was responsible for the development of the Galaxy System, the leading North American satellite service  provider, which subsequently merged with PanAmSat; the JCSAT system for Japan, in partnership with Mitsui and Itochu; the initiation of the direct to home business at Hughes, which ultimately became DirecTV; and several other satellite businesses.

Philip Father, ProtoStar's CEO, described Dorfman as “one of the industry's leading visionaries and builders who brings his unique satellite development, DTH launch experience and his knowledge of the Asian market to ProtoStar at an important stage in our development.”  He said “Steve's experience in building the Galaxy constellation and in helping develop DTH systems worldwide is a perfect complement to ProtoStar's own business plan.”

ProtoStar plans to launch its satellite in early 2007. The satellite’s planned footprint will reach over 3 billion people in India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and South East Asia. The company's system will enable in-country partners to offer subscribers a technically advanced, reliable, cost effective satellite television package, providing a robust subscriber experience.