CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Another communications satellite is safely in orbit today following launch Saturday night of a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Known as GE-6, the GE American Communications satellite will provide direct broadcast television programming, as well as a host of other typical communication services, to users in North and Central America.
The Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft was launched into space at 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (22:00 GMT) using a four-stage Russian Proton rocket marketed by International Launch Services (ILS).
Following a normal flight plan for the Proton, it took more than six hours before the satellite arrived in its proper orbit and was separated from the rocket, ending the launch phase of the mission.
This was the fifth ILS Proton launched this year and the 18th overall in the history of ILS, the joint venture between Lockheed Martin in the United States and Khrunichev and RSC Energia in Russia.
Still ahead for ILS before the end of the year: a Proton launch carrying a Sirius radio satellite.
And if it seems like it's been a busy week of launches, you're right.
Saturday's space shot was the third such satellite-delivery mission in as many days from launch sites around the world.An Air Force Atlas 2A rocket launched Thursday night from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying a military communications satellite.
Then early Saturday morning it was a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket sent into space from the Odyssey Launch Platform in the Pacfic Ocean carrying the Thuraya-1 communications satellite for a company based in the United Arab Emeriates.
The next launch from planet Earth is scheduled for early this coming Saturday morning from South America when an Ariane 4 rocket is to loft into orbi an European communications satellite.
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