SES Astra had been contracted by Hellas Sat on 30th April 2003, to provide Satellite control services for the Hellas-Sat 2 Satellite, launched on 12th May 2003, after completion of its launch and early-orbit phase.

For a period of 16 months since 20th June 2003, SES Astra's TechCom unit had been ensuring full control of the Satellite from its headquarters in Luxembourg, using Thermopylae Earth Station, Greece, which is owned and operated by OTE, and had been in charge of the continuous operation of the Satellite on-station, including spacecraft bus, payload and orbital control management.

Since 26th October 2004, Hellas Sat now assumes full control of the Hellas-Sat 2 Satellite from its spacecraft control center in Athens, Greece, which has been installed turn-key by SES Astra as part of another contract.

In addition, SES Astra has provided spacecraft operations training to the Hellas Sat technical personnel in all domains of spacecraft operations and flight dynamics management.

Christodoulos Protopapas, Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hellas Sat S.A., stated: "We are very proud that the Hellas-Sat 2 Satellite is now being operated by Greek Engineers and Scientists. From this moment, Greece really enters to the club of countries which have access to space."

"We want to thank SES Astra for the cooperation and the first class services they provided during the last 16 months and I congratulate the technical teams of both companies for the successful hand-over."

Pascal Rogiest, in charge of SES Astra's TechCom unit, added: "During 16 months, SES Astra has been committed to provide top-quality Satellite operations services for the Hellas-Sat 2 Satellite."

"We are glad that Hellas Sat is now in a position to assume those services on its own, based on the extensive training, and using the spacecraft control centers that SES Astra's engineers have successfully provided."

"We are Satisfied that the quality of our services has been recognised by Hellas Sat all along the project. Our objective is that SES Astra's TechCom Unit continues to share its technical expertise in the same way with many other Satellite operators."

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