spacetoday.net: Proton launches Intelsat satellite

Posted: Thu, Jun 17, 2004, 11:44 AM ET (1544 GMT)
Proton launch of Intelsat 10-02 (ILS)

A Russian Proton rocket successfully launched a communications satellite for Intelsat early Thursday. The Proton M booster lifted off from Baikonur at 6:27 pm EDT Wednesday (2227 GMT Wednesday; 4:27 am local time Thursday); its Breeze M upper stage placed the payload, Intelsat 10-02, into geosynchronous transfer orbit nine hours later. The launch had been scheduled for early Wednesday but was delayed 24 hours to allow the batteries on the satellite to complete charging. Intelsat 10-02, a Eurostar E3000 built by EADS Astrium, is one of the largest commercial GEO satellites ever built, with a launch mass of over 5,500 kg. The satellite carries 36 Ku-band and 70 C-band transponders and will operate from 1 degree west longitude. The launch was the second commercial Proton launch of 2004, and the fourth Proton launch overall this year.