The Proton suffered two failures in 1999 causing a serious delay in assembling the ISS, whose service module is essential for long stays on the station by cosmonauts.

Sunday's launch was carried out at 0407 GMT from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

THE NEW EXPRESS-6A SATELLITE WILL BECOME PART OF INTERSPUTNIK COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM MOSCOW, Russia (March 13, 2000) - Intersputnik�s Express-A satellite was launched successfully yesterday, opening the way for significant improvements in communications capacity across the territory of Russia. The Express-6A spacecraft lifted off Kazakhstan�s Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 12 at 7:07 a.m. Moscow time (March 11, 11:07 p.m., EDT) aboard a Proton launch vehicle. The mission was a cornerstone element of Russia�s federal space program, in which the Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications takes the active part. Under an agreement with the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC), Intersputnik will utilize the major part of Express-6A�s C- and Ku-band relay capacity. Express-6A will replace the aging Express-6 spacecraft currently in orbit. The new satellite will be located at 80 East allowing Intersputnik�s customers to use earth stations without tracking systems, and providing a higher quality of services. It is equipped with 17 high-power C- and Ku-band transponders. �The successful launch of Express-6A is the next step in modernizing Intersputnik�s communications system,� Gennady Kudryavtsev, Intersputnik�s Director General, said. �The new Express-A series of spacecraft provides a longer service life, more capacity and higher radiated power. Express-6A will carry all of the television channels currently handled via Express-6, and also will be used for new digital communications and broadcasting channels including relay in Ku-band.� In addition to traditional services such as analog broadcasting and public switched telephone networks, Express-6A also will provide such services as digital television and radio broadcasting, Internet access and dedicated corporate VSAT-based Ku-band networks. Users of the Express-6A include such Russian television channels as TV-6, TV-Centre, AST; large telecommunications network operators (Rustel); dedicated networks operators (Insat, Sirena), and telephone companies from Intersputnik�s member nations. The second satellite in the new Express-A series is Express-3A, which is to be launched in June and positioned at 11 West. This spacecraft will replace the aging Statsionar-11 (Gorizont-26) satellite. Express-3A will allow Intersputnik to offer more satellite channels to telecommunications companies interested in transatlantic traffic. Russia�s Krasnoyarsk-based NPO PM is prime contractor for the Express-A-series satellites. The satellite bus is developed by NPO PM, while Alcatel Espace of France supplies the payload. Intersputnik is an international intergovernmental organization established in 1971 to operate a global satellite-based telecommunications system. Today, Intersputnik has 23 member nations, and boasts some 28 years of experience as one of the leading operators of global satellite-based telecommunications systems. The Intersputnik communications system includes Gorizont- and Express-series spacecraft, as well as the new-generation LMI-1 satellite. Intersputnik provides high-quality international, national and regional communication services in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean regions. Intersputnik's users include state-run and private telecommunications and broadcasting organizations worldwide. ### For additional information please contact: Intersputnik Stefan Kollar Tel: +7 095 241 72 77 Fax: +7 095 253 99 06 [email protected] www.intersputnik.com

International Launch Service (Proton)

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Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005
The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India.