MOSCOW -- A Proton-K booster carrying a Geyser military satellite successfully roared into the morning sky over Kazakstan at 7:44 p.m. EDT (1144 GMT).
The orbital module separated from Proton third stage approximately 590 seconds after lift off and settled into its initial orbit.
Then at 2:20 a.m. EDT (0620 GMT) the military communications satellite separated from its upper stage booster after a final burn of its rocket engine.
All of the information sent from the satellite to Proton Mission Control Center at Khrunichev Center shows that the booster functioned properly and that Geyser was put into its proper orbit.
The mission marked the second use of the upgraded version of a Proton rocket - the same type of booster that is scheduled to be used to launch the Zvezda service module to the International Space Station July 12.
"We were supposed to launch two upgraded Proton launch vehicles of the same type as the one which will be used to deliver Service Module to orbit," said Alexander Kuznetsov, Rosaviakosmos Deputy General Director.
"This was the second successful launch. We currently have no technical problem which could preclude service module from launch. A decision was made to start fueling the module, meaning that its preparation for the launch became irreversible." Fueling of Zvezda, which means "star" in Russian, was expected to begin almost immediately.
"This is the third successful launch of the Proton launch vehicle over the last three weeks," Sergey Zhiltsov, Director of Khrunichev Public Relations Department, told SPACE.com.
"Such intensive and successful flight rate of the Proton clearly demonstrates that all the technical defects which caused two Proton failures last year have been fixed. Proton remains among the most reliable launch vehicles in the world. This makes us and our partners confident in the success of the upcoming service module launch," Zhiltsov said.
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