New Sirius XM Radio Satellite Launches to Orbit

A new broadcasting satellite for Sirius XM Radio launched today aboard a Proton rocket, beginning a 9-hour journey to a high-altitude transfer orbit stretching more than 22,000 miles above Earth.

The Sirius FM5 satellite, the company's fourth spacecraft, blasted off at 1910 GMT (3:10 p.m. EDT) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The 12,831-pound satellite rode off the launch pad on nearly 2.5 million pounds of thrust produced by the Proton's six first stage engines. The rocket shed its first stage two minutes later, giving way to the launcher's second stage for a burn lasting about three-and-a-half minutes.

The single-engine third stage took over for its firing and the Proton jettisoned its payload shroud during the sixth minute of flight. The third stage separated from the Breeze M upper stage about ten minutes after liftoff, ending the Proton's role in the mission.

Officials with International Launch Services, the U.S.-based firm overseeing commercial Proton flights, confirmed the Breeze M completed its first burn to arrive in a temporary parking orbit about 111 miles above the planet.

The hydrazine-fueled upper stage will ignite four more times to gradually boost Sirius FM5 closer to its home in geosynchronous orbit along the equator.

The Breeze M's final burn will place the spacecraft in an orbit with a high point of 22,236 miles, a low point of 2,614 miles, and an inclination of 22.9 degrees, according to pre-launch projections.

The rocket will deploy Sirius FM5 at about 0424 GMT (12:24 a.m. EDT).

The next ILS Proton launch is scheduled for early August with the AsiaSat 5 communications satellite. That mission will be followed by the launch of Canada's Nimiq 5 spacecraft in early fall, officials said.

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