Posted: Mon, Jun 10, 2002, 9:06 AM ET (1306 GMT)

A Proton booster launched a Russian communications satellite late Sunday. The Proton lifted off from Baikonur at 9:14 pm EDT Sunday (0114 GMT Monday) and placed the Express-A1R communications satellite into orbit. The spacecraft will provide television and radio broadcasting as well as other communications services from its position at 40 degrees east longitude. It is a replacement for Express-A1, which was lost in a Proton launch failure in October 1999. The launch is the third Proton mission of the year, after two commercial launches in March and May arranged by International Launch Services.