Media & Analyst Release 18 November 1998

APT Satellites Sailed Safely through Leonid Meteoroid Storm

The three communications satellites of APT Satellite Holdings Limited ("APT," stock code: 1045 or ATS), have emerged unscathed from the Leonid meteoroid storm in the early morning of November 18.

During the meteoroid storm, APT's satellites also managed to provide uninterrupted transmission to its customers, which include Reuters, Walt Disney, CCTV, HBO, ESPN, Sony Pictures Entertainment, TVB, Turner and Viacom.

Mr. Liu Ji Yuan, APT chairman, attributed the satellites' safety and continued operation to the risk management strategy that APT employed. The company tilted the solar panels of its APSTAR IIR to minimise the exposed area to the oncoming meteoroid stream and reduce the probability of collision with the meteors and changed the telemetry channel of APSTAR-I and IA from communication antenna to omni antenna to avoid the telemetry loss.

APT also enhanced the monitoring, telemetry and control of its APSTAR Systems reducing the risk of remote control malfunction had satellites been hit by the meteoroids.

Furthermore, the company assigned additional management, engineers and operators on duty during the critical period of the meteoroid storm and put emergency teams on stand by; enforced tighter monitoring on the status of all transponders; and provided back up transponder capacity to ensure the continued operation of the satellites. It also maintained the effective communication with satellite vendors for emergency.

Mr Liu said that APT's risk management strategy had long been in place and has been successfully implemented during this meteoroid storm.

The Leonid meteoroid storm, which Earth satellites had just encountered, was considered to be the most intensive meteoroid storm in 33 years. The storm, comprising meteors from the dust particles of comet Tempel-Tuttle, put a number of satellites at risk of being damaged. Comet Tempel-Tuttle orbits the sun once every 33 years and last visited Earth's orbit in 1965.

APT is a leading satellite service provider in the Asia Pacific region. It currently owns and operates three in-orbit satellites APSTAR I, IA and IIR with a total capacity of 76 C-band and 16 Ku-band transponders. The satellites have a footprint coverage of 100 countries throughout Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia, serving 75% of the world's population.


Issued by : APT Satellite Holdings Limited
Contact: Brian LO
Tel: (852) 29188013/ 94338549 Fax: (852) 25220419
Email: aptir@apstar.com Web-site: www.apstar.com

Through : Keith Statham Associates PR
Contact: Dorothy Lee (2801 0037) / Raymond Siu (2801 0036)

Hong Kong, 18 November 1998