Exhibit 99.1

SkyTerra Communications, Inc.        Contact:
19 West 44th Street, Suite 507       Robert Lewis
New York, New York 10036             Senior Vice President and General Counsel
                                     212-730-7540
                                     info@skyterracom.com


      SkyTerra Communications Announces Payment Date for Special Dividend
           and Record Date for Hughes Communications' Rights Offering

(New York, New York, February 13, 2006) On February 10, 2006, SkyTerra
Communications, Inc. (OTCBB: SKYT) announced that the payment of its previously
announced special dividend, consisting of all the outstanding common stock of
Hughes Communications, Inc. (Hughes), SkyTerra's wholly-owned subsidiary, will
occur at 4:59 p.m. E.S.T. on February 21, 2006. The special dividend will be
paid to holders of SkyTerra's capital stock and certain warrants to purchase
SkyTerra common stock who are holders of record on the record date, February
13, 2006.

In a related matter, on February 9, 2006, the board of directors of Hughes
declared a special dividend consisting of rights to purchase 7,843,141 shares
of its common stock at a subscription price of $12.75 per share, to holders of
record of Hughes common stock as of 5:00 p.m. E.S.T. on February 21, 2006. All
stockholders who fully exercise their subscription rights will also have an
over-subscription right to acquire any shares which are not purchased by other
stockholders. The rights offering is expected to commence promptly following
the record date.

The prospectuses relating to the special dividend and the rights offering may
be obtained, when available, by contacting Dean Manson, c/o Hughes
Communications, Inc., 11717 Exploration Lane, Germantown, Maryland 20876.

FORWARD-LOOKING AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to plans and other
future event relating to SkyTerra and its subsidiaries, including Hughes
Communications, Inc.. Such statements generally include words such as could,
can, anticipate, believe, expect, seek, pursue, proposed, potential and similar
words and terms, in connection with any discussion of future results, including
SkyTerra's plans to distribute the special dividend, or the completion of the
rights offering and other transactions referred to in this press release.
Forward-looking statements involve a number of assumptions, risks, and
uncertainties, any of which may cause actual results to differ materially from
the anticipated, estimated, or projected results referenced in the
forward-looking statements. In particular, the forward-looking statements of
SkyTerra are subject to the following risks and uncertainties: difficulties,
delays, unexpected costs or the inability to consummate, the special dividend,
the rights offering or the other transactions referred to in this press
release; the impact of legislative and regulatory actions, including without
limitation, actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the foreign
regulatory authorities. We assume no obligation to update or supplement our
forward-looking statements.