Posted: Sun, Dec 20, 2015, 1:13 PM ET (1813 GMT)
A Proton rocket launched a Russian military communications satellite December 13. The Proton lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 7:19 pm EST Dec. 13 (0019 GMT Dec.14) and placed the Garpun satellite into geostationary transfer orbit nine hours later. The satellite is the second in a series of military communications satellites. The launch was delayed three days to allow technicians to inspect the satellite separation system on the rocket's upper stage after another Russian military satellite failed to separate from its upper stage in a launch earlier this month.

Related Links:

•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  Khrunichev press release