Posted: Fri, Dec 27, 2013, 11:13 AM ET (1613 GMT)
A Proton rocket successfully launched a Russian communications satellite on Thursday. The Proton M rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:50 am EST (1050 GMT, 4:50 pm local time) Thursday, and its Breeze M upper stage released the Express-AM5 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit about nine hours later. The satellite, built by Russian manufacturer ISS Reshetnev for the Russian Space Communications Company (RSCC), weighed 3,400 kilograms at liftoff and carries 84 C-, Ku-, Ka-, and L-band transponders. RSCC will use the spacecraft at 140 degrees east in GEO to television, data, and other services across much of Russia.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  RSCC press release