spacetoday.net: Proton launches first Kazakh satellite

Posted: Sun, Jun 18, 2006, 7:46 AM ET (1146 GMT)
Proton launch (file photo)

A Proton rocket launched Kazakhstan's first national satellite early Sunday. The Proton K lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 6:44 pm EDT Saturday (2244 GMT Saturday, 4:44 am local time Sunday) and placed the Kazsat 1 spacecraft into orbit, with the spacecraft separating from the Proton's Block DM upper stage about seven hours after liftoff. Kazsat 1 is Kazakhstan's first satellite, built by the Russian company Khrunichev. The spacecraft, located in GEO, will provide communications services for central Asia. The launch coincided with a summit meeting between the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan; both leaders attended the launch. During the summit meeting the leaders agreed to proceed with a second communications satellite project, Kazsat 2.