CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- International Launch Services (ILS) continued its string of successful Proton rocket launches this weekend with a mission to loft the Astra 2C communications satellite into Earth orbit for Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES) of Luxembourg.
The workhorse Russian four-stage rocket lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 9:49 p.m. EDT Friday (01:49 GMT Saturday) and concluded its seven-hour satellite delivery mission as scheduled with spacecraft separation coming at 4:44 a.m. EDT (08:44 GMT).
"We celebrate another excellent launch for Proton and Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES)," ILS president Mark Albrecht said in a prepared statement. "An Astra satellite was the first commercial customer for Proton, in April 1996, and I'm pleased that we have maintained our perfect record through five Astra launches."
An ILS Proton is to send into orbit a sixth Astra spacecraft -- Astra 1K -- before the end of the year, Albrecht said.
Built by Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS), Astra 2C is a Boeing 601 spacecraft, which is the best selling model in the world. It has been popular with SES as that company has built its constellation to provide direct-to-home television, Internet access and other communications services to more than 87 million homes in 29 nations.
"With this launch, Boeing has built and delivered a total of nine spacecraft to SES," BSS president Randy Brinkley said in a prepared statement. "I think the fact that SES returns to Boeing repeatedly is a testament to our technology and to Boeing's continuing commitment to SES. We congratulate them on this newest addition to their fleet."Astra 2C will be positioned over the equator at either 19.2 or 28.2 degrees East longitude and is designed to operate for 15 years. The high-powered, 8,500-kilowatt satellite features 40 Ku-band transponders, with 32 active at the beginning of the satellite's lifetime and 28 near the end.
The Astra 2C launch was the 21st commercial Proton mission managed by ILS since the joint venture between Lockheed Martin, Khrunichev and RSC Energia was created in 1995 to market the Russian Proton and U.S. Atlas launch vehicles.
ILS's next launch is set for this Tuesday when an Atlas 2AS rocket is to carry the first ICO satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch window extends from 12:41 to 2:41 a.m. EDT (04:41 to 06:41 GMT).
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