Proton Launches DirecTV 8 in Kazakhstan

Russia’s Proton vehicle carrying DirecTV 8 satellite lifts off at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, in Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. (ILS photo)

BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, May 23, 2005/Satnews Daily/ ― A Russian Proton Breeze M launcher carrying the DirecTV 8 telecommunications satellite was launched from the Russia's Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on Sunday.

International Launch Services said the Proton vehicle lifted off at 11:59 p.m. local time (1:59 p.m. EDT, 17:59 GMT). It continued its climb through space for nine hours and 15 minutes, after which time the satellite separated from the rocket into an elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Satellite controllers confirmed that DirecTV 8 is now functioning properly. Over the next ten days, ILS said, the satellite will be maneuvered into a circular geosynchronous orbit, 22,300 miles (36,000 km) above the equator.

The launch had been postponed one day due to a technical issue on the launch vehicle. The launch was originally scheduled for Saturday.

The DirecTV 8 satellite was built by Space Systems/Loral and is based on its 1300 platform. Its loaded weight is 3,710 kilos and has a designated service life of 15 years. It carries both Ku-band and Ka-band payloads and its final operating position is 101 degrees West longitude.

Jim Butterworth, senior vice president, Communication Systems of DirecTV, Inc. said the spacecraft will play an important role in strengthening the company’s satellite fleet and the rollout of new services for our more than 14.4 million customers. The satellite will provide support for the expansion of DirecTV’s new digital and high-definition services.

The Proton vehicle is built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, and the Atlas is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. DirecTV 8 is the second spacecraft ILS has launched for DirecTV on Proton. The previous launch was DirecTV 5 in 2002. The Atlas vehicle also has launched two satellites for DirecTV: DBS 2 and DirecTV 6, in 1994 and 1997, respectively.

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