SES ASTRA, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), announced today that it has entered into a partnership with the Arab satellite operator Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat) to create a new company operating under the YahLive brand that will offer Direct-to-Home (DTH) television capacity and services to more than two dozen countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South West Asia, a large region mainly including the Gulf states and the Maghreb.

YahLive will offer DTH satellite services to free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters in this region. It will own and commercialise 23 BSS-transponders on the Yahsat 1A spacecraft to be positioned at the 52.5 degrees East orbital position and operating in the Ku-band frequency. The satellite, procured from a consortium of EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space, is currently under construction and is scheduled to be launched by the fourth quarter of 2010.

Yahsat is a private joint stock company based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and owned by Mubadala, the investment arm of the government of Abu Dhabi.

“Creating a company with Yahsat opens a very important and dynamic new market for us, where we can leverage our core DTH competences and join forces with a strong player in the region,” said Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Executive Officer of SES ASTRA. “This partnership will establish a major business hub for SES ASTRA in the Middle East, and will add a new dimension to the existing strong regional presence of SES through the satellite operator SES NEW SKIES and the system integrator ND SatCom. The region is a market with significant  growth potential as the fill rate of the Ku-band capacity is estimated at 90 percent, while demand is expected to grow faster than supply. We are very pleased to work with Yahsat to tap these markets and to contribute our knowledge in deploying satellite capacity as well as a large range of specialised ground and broadcasting services.”

”We are very pleased to announce this strategic partnership with one of the world’s leading satellite broadcasting operators. SES ASTRA’s significant experience in this sector will fast track our ability to create a new TV hotspot over the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region,” said Jassem Al Zaabi, Yahsat’s Chief Executive Officer. “This alliance also confirms the satellite industry’s conviction that Yahsat is the partner of choice in the region. As a new player in the broadcasting sector, we believe this partnership will enable Yahsat to make a very strong entry into the market.”

About SES ASTRA
SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe. The satellite fleet currently comprises 14 ASTRA and two SIRIUS satellites. The combined satellite system delivers services to more than 122 million DTH and cable households and transmits nearly 2,500 analogue and digital television and radio channels. SES ASTRA also provides satellite-based multimedia, internet and telecommunication services to enterprises, governments and their agencies. With nearly 70 High Definition (HD) channels on its main orbital positions, ASTRA and SIRIUS represent the most important HDTV platform for Europe's leading broadcasters. The prime orbital positions for ASTRA and SIRIUS are 19.2° East, 28.2° East, 23.5° East, 5° East and 31.5° East.

SES ASTRA is an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG). SES owns three market-leading satellite operators, SES ASTRA in Europe, SES AMERICOM in North America, and SES NEW SKIES which provides global coverage and connectivity. The company owns 90 percent of SES SIRIUS in Europe, as well as strategic participations in Ciel in Canada and QuetzSat in Mexico. SES provides outstanding satellite communications solutions via a fleet of 40 satellites in 26 orbital positions around the globe.

About YAHSAT
Yahsat is a United Arab Emirates-based satellite communications company providing hybrid satellite communications services to commercial and governmental clients in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South-West Asia.  With a wide portfolio of voice, data, video and internet connectivity solutions, Yahsat satellites are designed based on market requirements and future applications.

Yahsat is partnering with the consortium of EADS Astrium, Thales and Alenia Space to build a hybrid satellite communications system. The first satellite Yahsat 1A is currently being built and will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2010, and Yahsat 1B will follow in mid 2011.

Yahsat is owned by Mubadala Development Company, an investment firm that is helping to diversify Abu Dhabi’s economy through capital intensive investments and by building businesses.  Mubadala establishes new companies and acquires strategic holdings in existing companies, either in the UAE or abroad. In partnership with world class investors, the company actively manages investments in strategic sectors including energy, real estate, healthcare, aerospace and services. These investments diversify and further develop the growing economy of Abu Dhabi, while achieving superior returns on its investments.