Russian Rocket Successfully Orbits U.S. Communications Satellite

MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The U.S. telecommunications satellite DirecTV-10 has been put into its destination orbit, spokesman for the Russian Khrunichev space research and production center Alexander Bobrenev told Interfax on Saturday.

"Five blasts of the Breeze-M upper stage's cruise engine put the DirecTV-10 spacecraft into its destination orbit with an altitude of 35,700 kilometers," Bobrenev said.

After the satellite reached its orbit, the upper stage separated from it and started an avoidance maneuver to prevent its collision with the spacecraft, Bobrenev said.

The DirecTV-10 is designed to broadcast digital high definition television (HDTV) programs through cable and national networks in the continental part of the U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii. The satellite is constructed on the Boeing 702 platform. Its flying weight is 5,900 kilograms, and its weight in orbit will be 3,700 kilograms.

The DirectTV-10 is the first Boeing satellite launched on board a Proton rocket and the biggest spacecraft ever launched on board a Proton-M rocket to such an orbit.

The satellite was constructed at Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems, a Boeing division headquartered in Seal Beach, California, one of the world leaders in constructing various types of spacecraft.

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