Article Posted on : - Mar 16, 2010

Intelsat 21 communications satellite.

WASHINGTON (Itar-Tass): The Russian rocket carrier Proton will deliver two telecommunication satellites to orbit for Intelsat, the world's biggest satellite communication consortium.

According to the agreement, Intelast-21 will be put into orbit in early 2012 and Intelsat-23 at the end of 2011, American International Launch Services (ILS), in which Russia's Khrunichev Space Centre has a majority share, said Monday.

Both satellites will be launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Protons have already put six Intelsat satellites into the target orbits, including on February 12, 2010.

Intelsat-21 with a flight weight of 6.3 tonnes is being made by Boeing. It will replace Intelsat-9 to service customers in the Western Hemisphere and Europe, providing digital television and radio broadcasting, telephone, and broadband Internet access services.

Intelasat-23 with a takeoff weight of 2.73 tonnes will be made by Orbital Sciences, Virginia, to provide telecom services in North and South America, Europe, and Africa.

ILS is based outside Washington DC, in Reston, Virginia, and advances Khrunichev's Proton and Briz-M booster services to the international markets.

The joint venture was created in 1995 by Lockheed Martin, which seceded in 2006, and RKK Energia has made 57 Proton launches since 1996.