News Release from AMSAT(r)
The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NUMBER 99-02
October 8, 1999

PHASE 3-D TO BE LAUNCHED ABOARD AN ARIANE 5


MARBURG, GERMANY (October 8, 1999) (AMSAT News Service)   AMSAT's
most ambitious project to date... the International Phase 3-D
communications satellite...has now been accepted for launch
aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5 launch vehicle.

Dr. Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, AMSAT-Germany's President and Phase 3-D
Project Leader released the following statement on October 7th:

"As the primary agency responsible for securing a launch
opportunity for Phase 3-D, I am pleased to announce that AMSAT-
Germany and Arianespace have now come to an agreement calling for
the launch of P3-D as a secondary payload aboard the "first
suitable" Ariane 5 flight."

Dr. Meinzer went on to comment that, "From the very beginning of
the Phase 3-D project, we considered the Ariane 5 series our
primary launch vehicle.  Our long history of success and mutual
cooperation with both the European Space Agency (ESA) and
Arianespace, coupled with our need to lift P3-D into a high
geostationary transfer orbit, made the Ariane 5 the unanimous
choice by AMSAT."

Following standard protocol, specific details of the launch
agreement were not released.

AMSAT-NA President Keith Baker, KB1SF, was elated with the latest
news.  "I'm very pleased to see that AMSAT-DL's negotiations with
Arianespace have resulted in a launch contract for Phase 3-D, and
I'm delighted we are again slated to fly on an Ariane vehicle,"
he said.  "Following the resounding success of Ariane flight 503,
the Ariane 5 has now proven itself to be a very capable launcher.
When coupled with our many past successes with ESA and Ariane, I
believe we now have an unbeatable combination.  Once it is in
orbit, the Phase 3-D satellite will not only help us usher in the
new Millennium, it will also signal the dawn of a brand new era
for Amateur Radio." he concluded.

While both AMSAT presidents expressed optimism for an early
launch of the satellite, Dr. Meinzer expressed caution that the
wait for the "first suitable" flight could still turn out to
be a long one.  "While the launch of Phase 3-D could come as
early as the first half of the
year 2000, we must remember that Ariane's launch manifests are
continually being updated to accommodate market changes as well
as the availability of other payloads. Thus, one or more changes
to P3-D's anticipated launch date, along with its specific Ariane
5 mission number, are a very real possibility before our
satellite actually flies," he said.

Nevertheless, based on its new "standby" launch status, Phase 3-D
is slated to be delivered to the Guiana Space Center in Kourou,
French Guiana later this month so as to be ready for quick
integration once Arianespace identifies a specific Ariane 5
launch vehicle for P3-D's ride to orbit.

While its primary focus is on improved worldwide satellite
communications, the Phase 3-D satellite will also have a very
positive influence on the very future of Amateur Radio.  Built
primarily from donated resources, the International Phase 3-D
team includes participating AMSAT groups from Great Britain,
Japan, Canada, Finland, Russia, Belgium, the Czech Republic,
Slovenia, France, New Zealand and Hungary in addition to the
groups from AMSAT-Germany and AMSAT-North America.

AMSAT is very proud of its long tradition of excellence and the
contributions it has made to the advancement of space
communications, space education and the space sciences. Phase 3-D
will be Amateur Radio's premier vehicle to continue the quest for
new communications technologies for generations yet unborn.

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     FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT US ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:
                     "http://www.amsat.org"

OR CONTACT:

In North America:

AMSAT-North America
Dan James, NN0DJ; VP, Public
Affairs
P.O. Box 279, Parker Farms Estates
Warroad, MN 56763 USA
Phone: 218-386-1544
Internet: "nn0dj@amsat.org"

In Europe:

AMSAT-Germany
Werner Haas, DJ5KQ; Vice President
Holderstrauch 10
D-35041 Marburg, Germany
Phone: (06421) 283551
Fax: (06421) 285665
Internet: "dj5kq@amsat.org"