Posted: Wed, Feb 11, 2009, 6:43 AM ET (1143 GMT)
A Proton rocket launched two Russian communications satellites early Wednesday. The Proton M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 7:03 pm EST Tuesday (0003 GMT Wednesday) carrying the Express AM44 and Express MD1 satellites for the Russian Satellite Communications Company. Express AM44, built by ISS Reshetnev with a communications payload provided by Thales Alenia Space, weighed about 2,500 kilograms at liftoff and will operate from 11 degrees west in GEO. Express MD1, built by Khrunichev with a Thales Alenia payload, weighed about 1,100 kilograms at launch and will operate from 80 degrees east.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  Khrunichev press release