Posted: Mon, Jan 28, 2008, 2:02 PM ET (1902 GMT)
A Proton rocket successfully launched a Russian communications satellite early Monday. The Proton-M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 7:18 pm EST Sunday (0018 GMT Monday) and placed the Express-AM33 satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. The spacecraft, to be located at 96.5 degrees east in GEO, carries a mix of C-, Ku-, and L-band transponders to provide various communications services in Russia and Asia Pacific countries for its operator, Russian Satellite Communications Company. The satellite, with a mass of nearly 2,600 kilograms and a planned 12-year lifetime, was built by Russian company NPO PM with the communications payload provided by Thales Alenia Space.

Related Links:

•  RIA Novosti article
•  Space News article (subscription required)
•  Russia Today article
•  RSCC press release