Posted: Sat, Jun 25, 2005, 6:13 AM ET (1013 GMT)
A Proton rocket successfully launched a Russian communications satellite late Friday. The Proton-K booster lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:41 pm EDT (1941 GMT) Friday, and placed its payload, the Express AM-3 satellite, into its planned orbit five and a half hours later. The 2,600-kg satellite, built by Russian manufacturer NPO PM and carrying a payload provided by Alcatel, carries 16 C-band, 12 Ku-band, and 1 L-band transponder. The satellite will be positioned in GEO at 40 degrees east to provide a variety of voice, video, and data services. The spacecraft is the fifth in a series of modernized communications satellites operated by the Russian Satellite Communications Company.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  AFP article