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Boeing Prepares for Next Delta III Launch Attempt

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., April 26, 1999 -- Pending range availability, Boeing will attempt to launch a Delta III rocket carrying the Orion 3 satellite Tuesday, May 4.

If another launch, planned for Friday, April 30, goes as scheduled, the Delta team could launch as early as Sunday, May 2.

The last Delta III launch attempt ended in an on-pad abort, when ground-support software did not send the main-engine ignition command to the vehicle.

The situation occurred when a computerized vehicle-systems check, run every tenth of a second, interrupted the ignition command due to a software error. The main engine ignition command was never issued and the launch was automatically aborted.

The launch team replicated the problem and is testing the revised software. The launch windows for May 2 - 4 are 8:57 to 10:05, 8:56 to 10:05 and 8:56 to 10:04 p.m. EDT respectively.

The Orion 3 satellite, built by Hughes Space and Communications, will be owned and operated by Loral Space & Communications. The spacecraft will expand the C-band and Ku-band coverage area of Loral's satellite service fleet to include the entire Asia-Pacific region including Korea, China, Japan, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Hawaii.

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Contact Info:
Boeing Communications Expendable Launch Systems
(714) 896-1301

Boeing Launch Hotline
(714) 896-4770