Boeing

The Sea Launch team is counting down to liftoff at 3:10 p.m. (PDT) today of the XM-1 satellite, "Roll," from the launch site at the Equator, 154 degrees West Longitude. All systems are operating nominally.

Due to technical problems with our satellite transmission found in a test yesterday, we are moving to a new transponder for the broadcast of the XM mission this afternoon. Please note this new information, program remains the same. We will begin transmission with bars and tone at 2:30 p.m. (PDT); program will start at 2:50 p.m. (PDT). Our revised coordinates are as follows:

GE 3C Transponder 7
C-Band Analog
Orbital Position 87 degrees (w)
Downlink Frequency 3840 MHz (H)

The Sea Launch Zenit-3SL launch vehicle will loft the 10,289 lb (4,672 kg) payload to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, with the spacecraft separating from the upper stage at an altitude of about 1,600 miles above the Indian Ocean. Once in space, "Roll" will be positioned in Geostationary Orbit, 35,786 km (22,236 miles) above the Earth, at 85 degrees West Longitude. Designed for a 15-year lifespan, "Rock" and "Roll" will transmit up to 100 channels of digital radio across the United States, including music, news, sports, talk, comedy and children's programming.

DirecTV will also broadcast the launch on Viewer Channel #361. Information about Sea Launch, and this mission in particular, at: http://www.sea-launch.com. Members of the print and broadcast media seeking information and high-resolution images are directed to a media-specific site at: http://www.boeing.com/nosearch/sealaunch/index.html