Proton returns to flight, launches Mexican satellite
Posted: Wed, Mar 27, 2013, 7:26 AM ET (1126 GMT)
The Proton rocket returned to flight early Wednesday with the successful launch of a Mexican satellite. The Proton M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:07 pm EDT Tuesday (1907 GMT Tuesday, 1:07 am local time Wednesday) carrying the Satmex 8 satellite. The rocket's Breeze M upper stage released the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit nine hours and 13 minutes after liftoff. Satmex 8, a Space Systems/Loral 1300 model spacecraft, weighed 5,474 kilograms at launch and carries a payload of 24 C-band and 40 Ku-band transponders. Mexican satellite operator Satmex will use the spacecraft at 116.8 degrees west in GEO, replacing the existing Satmex 5 satellite. The launch was the first for the Proton since a December mission that placed a communications satellite into a lower-than-planned orbit when the upper stage shut down prematurely.
The Proton rocket returned to flight early Wednesday with the successful launch of a Mexican satellite. The Proton M lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:07 pm EDT Tuesday (1907 GMT Tuesday, 1:07 am local time Wednesday) carrying the Satmex 8 satellite. The rocket's Breeze M upper stage released the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit nine hours and 13 minutes after liftoff. Satmex 8, a Space Systems/Loral 1300 model spacecraft, weighed 5,474 kilograms at launch and carries a payload of 24 C-band and 40 Ku-band transponders. Mexican satellite operator Satmex will use the spacecraft at 116.8 degrees west in GEO, replacing the existing Satmex 5 satellite. The launch was the first for the Proton since a December mission that placed a communications satellite into a lower-than-planned orbit when the upper stage shut down prematurely.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
New Virgin Galactic spaceplane arrives at Spaceport America
Posted: Sat, Oct 31 10:38 AM ET (1438 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Tuesday, November 3
Voyager Appoints Gen. B. Chance Saltzman as Board of Advisors Chairman
Business Wire — 7:06 am ET (1206 GMT) Editorial: U.S. Space Academy belongs in Colorado
Colorado Springs Gazette — 7:06 am ET (1206 GMT) Northwood Space raises $375M Series C at a $2B valuation from a16z and DFJ Growth
TechCrunch — 7:06 am ET (1206 GMT) Special operations guardians must ‘maneuver with their SOF counterparts,’ commander says
Task & Purpose — 7:05 am ET (1205 GMT) US Military Sees Space as a ‘Digital Domain’ Where Cyber Reigns Supreme, Deputy CSO for Cyber and Data Says
ViaSatellite — 7:05 am ET (1205 GMT) |
