PALO ALTO, Calif. – June 30, 2006 – Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (NASDAQ: LORL), today announced that it has entered into a contract with a subsidiary of EchoStar Communications Corporation, Englewood Colo., to build a 1300-series satellite.

This new order from EchoStar is one of four satellite contracts awarded to Space Systems/Loral to date in 2006.

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) serves more than 12.2 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network™, the fastest growing U.S. provider of advanced digital television services in the last five years. DISH Network offers hundreds of video and audio channels, Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and international programming, together with professional installation and 24-hour customer service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

Space Systems/Loral is a premier designer, manufacturer, and integrator of powerful satellites and satellite systems. SS/L also provides a range of related services that include mission control operations and procurement of launch services. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company has an international base of commercial and governmental customers whose applications include broadband digital communications, direct-to-home broadcast, defense communications, environmental monitoring, and air traffic control. SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1,300 years of reliable on-orbit service. SS/L is ISO 9001:2000 certified. For more information, visit www.ssloral.com.

Loral Space & Communications is a satellite communications company. In addition to Space Systems/Loral, through its Skynet subsidiary Loral owns and operates a fleet of telecommunications satellites used to broadcast video entertainment programming, and for broadband data transmission, Internet services and other value-added communications services. For more information, visit Loral's web site at www.loral.com.