Cablevision Systems Corporation and Lockheed Martin announced that the Rainbow 1 telecommunications satellite was successfully launched today from Cape Canaveral aboard an Atlas V rocket provided by International Launch Services (ILS), a Lockheed Martin joint venture.

Cablevision Chairman Charles F. Dolan stated: "Today's successful launch of Rainbow 1, the world's most powerful and technologically advanced spot beam satellite, signifies an important advancement in Cablevision's history of state-of-the-art content delivery.

Cablevision has always been focused on creating compelling programming and Rainbow 1 will allow targeted, nationwide distribution for that content, helping us to offer our service directly to the home. It is indeed a great day for the company," concluded Mr. Dolan.

"We are extremely proud of the total system solution we have delivered today for Cablevision," said Ted Gavrilis, president, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. "Our A2100 satellite and the ILS-provided Atlas V make a powerful combination for mission success, and we are proud to be part of launching a new direct-to-home service for Cablevision ."

Rainbow 1 Technology

Rainbow 1, a high power Ku-band satellite, will provide direct broadcast services across the continental United States (CONUS) from its final orbital location at 61.5 degrees west longitude. The spacecraft features 24 MHz Ku- band high power transponders with a combination of 135 watt and 65 watt power amplifiers. The flexible design of the payload provides full interconnectivity to provide either all CONUS or all spot beam coverage through 22 individually programmable spot beams or a selectable mixture of both spot and CONUS coverage. Rainbow is an A2100AX satellite, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, Newtown, Pa., with a predicted service life of 18 years.

The A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs, ranging from Ka band/broadband services to fixed satellite services in a Ku-band payload configuration to high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum. The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplifying construction, increasing on- orbit reliability and reducing weight and cost.

In recognition of the A2100's reliability, Lockheed Martin has received a 2003 award for "Product of the Year," by Frost & Sullivan. Calling it "the most reliable and efficient of its class," Frost & Sullivan recognized the LMCSS-built A2100 satellite platform for its "outstanding on-orbit reliability record since it was first offered in 1996."

The Rainbow 1 mission is designated AV-003, signifying the third launch of the Atlas V, the most powerful in the Atlas vehicle family built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. The Atlas II, III and V family of vehicles has achieved a record of 65 consecutive successful launches.

About Cablevision Systems Corporation

Cablevision is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve 3 million households located in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its Lightpath integrated business communications services; its Optimum-branded high-speed Internet service and iO: Interactive Optimum, the company's digital television offering. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. operates programming businesses including AMC, The Independent Film Channel (IFC) and other national and regional services. In addition, Rainbow is a 50 percent partner in Fox Sports Net. Cablevision also owns a controlling interest and operates Madison Square Garden and its sports teams including the Knicks and Rangers. The company operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas, one of the tri-state area's leading motion picture exhibition circuits. Additional information about Cablevision Systems Corporation is available on the Web at www.cablevision.com.

About International Launch Services (ILS)

ILS offers the broadest range of launch services in the world along with products with the highest reliability in the industry. ILS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. in the United States, with Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Russia. ILS provides launch services on the Khrunichev-built Proton as well as the Atlas vehicles.

About Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems

Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems markets, designs and builds geostationary and non-geostationary telecommunications and remote sensing satellites for customers worldwide. LMCSS is an operating unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, one of the core business areas of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. Lockheed Martin has a 41-year heritage of building reliable spacecraft for commercial and military customers, having launched more than 875 spacecraft and clocking nearly 1,500 years of on-orbit performance experience.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation reported 2002 sales of $26.6 billion.

This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community and rating agency perceptions of the company and its business, operations, financial condition and the industry in which it operates and the factors described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein. The company disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained herein.

CONTACT: Kim Kerns of Cablevision Systems Corporation, +1-516-803-2351, or kkerns@cablevision.com; or Steve Tatum of Lockheed Martin, +1-408-742-7531, or Stephen.o.tatum@lmco.com.

and click on Rainbow.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems