Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 2012, 6:55 AM ET (1155 GMT)

A Zenit-3SL rocket successfully placed a communications satelite into orbit for Eutelsat on Monday. The Zenit-3SL, operated by Sea Launch, lifted off from its floating launch platform on the Equator in the Pacific Ocean at 3:44 pm EST (2044 GMT), and released the Eutelsat-70B satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit 66 minutes later. The satellite, built by EADS Astrium, weighed 5,210 kilograms at launch, and carries a payload of 48 Ku-band transponders. Eutelsat will operate the spacecraft at 70.5 degrees east in GEO, providing communications services from Europe to Australia. The launch was the third for Sea Launch this year.