The Hague, Netherlands, January 15, 2007 – SES NEW SKIES, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and Sea Launch are initiating the final preparations for the launch of the NSS-8 communications satellite. Liftoff of the sixth satellite in the SES NEW SKIES fleet is planned at the opening of a 37-minute launch window beginning at 3:22 pm Pacific Standard Time (23:22 GMT) on January 25^th, 2007.

The Odyssey Launch Platform and the Sea Launch Commander are currently sailing to the launch site at 154 degrees West Longitude on the Equator to begin launch operations. Upon arrival, the launch team will initiate a 72-hour countdown and ballast the Launch Platform 65 feet, to launch depth, performing final tests on the launch system and the satellite. On launch day, a Zenit-3SL rocket will lift the 5,920 kg (13,051 lb) spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit, on its way to a final orbital location of 57 degrees East Longitude.

The high-power, state-of-the-art NSS-8 satellite is a Boeing 702 spacecraft that carries 56 C-band and 36 Ku-band transponders designed to replace the existing NSS-703 satellite as the centerpiece of NEW SKIES’ strategic Indian Ocean contribution to SES’ global communications network. The successful launch of NSS-8 will subsequently also allow for NSS-703 to be re-deployed to the Atlantic Ocean region at 340° East, further boosting the global coverage and connectivity provided by the 40 plus strong fleet of satellites in the SES Group. NSS-8 will support a wide range of functions, including corporate communications, government and military operations, Broadband Internet services and broadcast applications.

The satellite will provide coverage to two-thirds of the world’s population, serving countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Designed for a 15-year lifespan, NSS-8 will have 18 kilowatts of total power at the beginning of life on orbit.

Sea Launch will carry live coverage of this first mission for SES NEW SKIES via satellite and also streaming video on the Sea Launch website at www.sea-launch.com. The live video stream can also be accessed via links at www.ses-newskies.com and/or www.ses-global.com

For further information please contact:

Yves Feltes
Press Relations
SES NEW SKIES
Tel: +352 710 725 311
Yves.Feltes@ses-global.com

About SES NEW SKIES

SES NEW SKIES is an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) offering satellite communication services to a range of customers including telecommunications providers, broadcasters, corporations and governments around the world. SES NEW SKIES owns and operates a global fleet of five satellites in orbit, with two additional spacecraft under construction (NSS-8 and NSS-9) and ground facilities around the world. Headquartered in The Hague, the company has offices in Hong Kong, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Washington, D.C. In addition to SES NEW SKIES, SES wholly owns market-leading satellite operators SES ASTRA in Europe and SES AMERICOM in North America and also holds strategic participations in AsiaSat in Asia, Star One in Latin America, SES Sirius in Europe, Ciel in Canada and Quetzsat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a combined fleet of more than 40 satellites across the globe. Further information on the company is available at www.ses-newskies.com and on SES at www.ses-global.com