Article Posted on : - Aug 20, 2012

The Zenit-3SL rocket launches from sea-based floating platform Odyssey. An RSC Energia photo

BERN, SWITZERLAND (BNS): A Russian rocket has successfully launched and orbited a US telecommunications satellite on Sunday.

The Zenit-3SL rocket carrying the Intelsat 21 satellite lifted off from the sea-based floating launch platform Odyssey in the Pacific Ocean at 06:55 GMT on Sunday.

Thirty minutes later, the 5,982-kg satellite, built by Boeing, was positioned in a geosynchronous transfer orbit, Sea Launch, a consortium of four companies from Norway, Russia, Ukraine and the US, which conducted the mission, said.

Odyssey, located in the equatorial area of the Pacific, is a converted oil rig operated by Switzerland-based Sea Launch.

Intelsat 21 is a geostationary communications satellite which will be operated by Intelsat S.A. It will replace Intelsat 9 and is designed to provide C-band services for North America, South America and Europe, and Ku-band services for North America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Europe and Western Africa with a life span of over 18.

Intelsat 21 is the fourth of five Intelsat launches planned for 2012.

Sunday's launch was the 12th mission for Intelsat and also marked the completion of Sea Launch's second of three planned missions in 2012, the company said.