Business Editors & Aerospace/Telecommunications Writers

REDONDO BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 2, 2001

TRW Inc. (NYSE:TRW) has completed the Critical Design Review (CDR), a major milestone in its contract with Astrium to build deployable AstroMesh(TM) reflectors for the INMARSAT I-4.

The CDR covered all aspects of TRW's reflector design including the boom, deployment assembly and tie-down structure, and verified that the design meets Astrium's requirements.

INMARSAT I-4, scheduled to become operational in 2004, will provide broadband services to customers across the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Canada and part of Australia, plus ocean coverage. TRW will provide reflectors for the system that will consist of two satellites plus one spare.

"With the CDR completed, we have the green light to start integration and test of the reflectors," said James Conlan, president, TRW Astro Aerospace. "These highly accurate reflectors will ensure that data is transmitted quickly and efficiently to ground stations and gateway terminals. We believe AstroMesh reflectors will help to provide high quality services to INMARSAT I-4 customers."

TRW is building three 9-meter, 90-kilogram L-band AstroMesh reflectors for Astrium. A protoflight reflector will be delivered to Astrium in Toulouse, France, in August 2002 for integration onto the spacecraft.

Reflectors are a key component of an antenna, reflecting radio frequency energy and focusing it into a pattern on the ground. TRW's AstroMesh reflectors combine receive/feed functions into one reflector, eliminating the need for separate feed and receive antennas and creating a large, lightweight reflector. The reflectors are scalable to meet mission requirements and have been built in 6- and 12.25-meter configurations.

A 12.25-meter AstroMesh reflector became operational onboard the Thuraya-1 geosynchronous communications satellite last November.

AstroMesh reflectors are built by TRW's Astro Aerospace subsidiary, which designs and manufactures space deployable structures, including deployable truss masts, telescopic booms, storable tubular extendible members, solar arrays and deep truss structures.

TRW Space & Electronics builds communications, scientific and defense spacecraft for military, civil and commercial customers; produces, integrates and tests payloads; develops advanced space instruments; and integrates experiments into spacecraft. It is an operating unit of TRW Inc., which provides advanced technology products and services for global automotive, aerospace and information systems markets. TRW's Web Site is www.trw.com.