Posted: Mon, Jun 19, 2006, 9:37 AM ET (1337 GMT)
A Sea Launch rocket successfully placed a commercial communications satellite into orbit Sunday. The Zenit 3SL lifted off from the Odyssey launch platform on the Equator in the Pacific Ocean at 3:50 am EDT (0750 GMT), placing the Galaxy 16 into geosynchronous transfer orbit nearly an hour later. The spacecraft, built by Space Systems/Loral for PanAmSat, is a 1300-series spacecraft weighing 4,640 kilograms at liftoff. The spacecraft, which will operate at 99 degrees west in GEO, carries 24 Ku-band and 24 C-band transponders to provide data and video services throughout North America. The launch is the third this year for Sea Launch, which is planning to carry out up to three more launches through the rest of the year.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  Sea Launch press release
•  Loral press release