The Garuda 1 communications satellite has completed its long journey to an Earth-tracking orbit following its successful launch aboard a Proton rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome on February 12.

On Tuesday, the spacecraft completed its fifth and final engine firing, which placed it at 128 degrees east longitude over the equator. The engine burn came at 7:50 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (12:50 p.m. GMT) and lasted 4 minutes and 48 seconds.

The Garuda 1 separated from the Proton's upper stage about six hours after launch. After three ignitions, the upper stage left the spacecraft in a highly elliptical orbit measuring (22,375 by 3,945 miles) 36,007 by 6,348 kilometers. At this point, Garuda 1 experienced a minor orientation problem, which placed it upside down relative to Earth's surface.

Then, according to plan, the spacecraft relied on its own engines to raise the perigee (point closest to Earth) of its orbit and lower the inclination, so it could position itself directly above the equator.

The Garuda's first engine burn was performed on February 14 lasting about 20 minutes. On Thursday, February 17, Garuda fired its engine for a second time for 39 minutes 53 seconds.

The maneuver left the spacecraft circling Earth in an orbit 22,370 by 8,265 miles (36,000 by 13,300 kilometers). On Friday at 3:28 a.m. EST, the spacecraft successfully completed a third firing, which lasted 40 minutes 50 seconds. The fourth engine firing came about 9 a.m. EST.