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| The PAS-9 satellite is prepared for launch on a Sea Launch rocket.
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| This Sea Launch graphic shows the mission timeline for the PAS-9 launch.
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Sea Launch sends its fourth mission from the equator into space for PanAmSat
By Jim Banke
Senior Producer,
posted: 07:53 pm ET
28 July 2000
ET
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Sea Launch officials around the world are celebrating the successful effort to send a television communications satellite into orbit on Friday. "It was absolutely outstanding," said Bo Bejmuk, Sea Launch's vice president and general manager of the company's home port in Long Beach, Calif. "In this business it can't get any better." | Sea Launch Liftoff | 
The fourth Sea Launch rocket climbs toward space carrying PanAmSat's PAS-9 satellite in this view from Sea Launch's satellite coverage of the mission. SPACE.com image from Sea Launch TV. |
The company's Zenit 3-SL rocket lifted off right on time at 6:42 p.m. EDT (2242 GMT) Friday and launch officials reported the three-stage booster worked properly during the entire 70-minute climb into its intended orbit. Just like its previous shots, this fourth mission for Sea Launch was staged from a point on the equator in the Pacific Ocean, with a converted oil drilling rig serving as launch pad and a modified cruise ship acting as a launch control center.Cheers and applause sounded from Sea Launch controllers and managers when it was reported at 7:51:51 p.m. EDT (2351.51 GMT) that the PAS-9 satellite had separated from the Block DM upper stage and was in a proper orbit. Following a launch disaster in March, Friday's mission was considered by industry observers to be critical to the future health of Sea Launch, a young aerospace company made up of major partners in the United States, Russia and Ukraine.
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