Posted: Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 6:27 AM ET (1027 GMT)
A Proton rocket successfully launched a communications satellite for a Middle Eastern company on Tuesday. The Proton M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 6:18 pm EDT Monday (2218 GMT Monday, 4:18 am local time Tuesday) carrying the Yahsat 1B (Y1B) satellite. The Proton's Breeze M uppet stage relased the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit a little over nine hours later. The satellite, a Eurostar E3000 model built by Astrium, weighed over 6,000 kilograms at launch. The satellite carries a Ka-band dual-use payload provided by Thales Alenia Space that will provide commercial communications services for Abu Dhabi-based YahSat and government communications for the UAE.

Related Links:

•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Spaceflight Now launch status center
•  ILS press release