Posted: Wed, May 8, 2002, 12:17 AM ET (0417 GMT)
A Russian Proton rocket successfully launched an American direct broadcasting satellite Tuesday afternoon after a one-day delay. The Proton-K lifted off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan at 1:00 pm EDT (1700 GMT) and placed the DIRECTV-5 satellite into geosynchronous orbit six and a half hours later. The satellite will provide direct TV broadcasting services for American consumers from its position at 119 degrees west longitude. The satellite was originally scheduled for launch on an Atlas, but International Launch Services (ILS), which markets both the Proton and Atlas, shifted the satellite to a Proton after modifications to the satellite caused it to miss its original launch date. A technical glitch with the Proton delayed the launch from Monday until Tuesday. The launch is the second commercial Proton launch of the year and the four launch provided by ILS in 2002.

Related Links:

•  ILS press release
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  SPACEandTECH article
•  AP article