Article Posted on : - Feb 18, 2014

The Proton-M rocket blasts off from Baikonur. A Roscosmos photo

BAIKONUR (BNS): Russia's Proton M rocket has successfully launched a Turkish communications satellite, TURKSAT-4A, on Feb. 15.

The 4.8 ton satellite, built by Japan's Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and was placed in a geostationary transfer orbit.

Separation of the TURKSAT-4A satellite from the rocket occurred approximately 9 hours and 13 minutes after liftoff.

The launch was carried out by the Russian-American joint venture company International Launch Services Inc. (ILS), based in Virginia, US.

TURKSAT-4A will provide telecommunication and direct TV broadcasting services over a wide geographic region between west of China and east of England, spanning Turkey, as well as Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It will be operated by Turksat AS.

The multi-band satellite has an expected on-orbit manoeuvre lifespan of 30 years, ILS said.

It was the first successful launch for the Proton space vehicle this year and 394th launch for the rocket overall since its maiden flight in 1965. The rocket has been developed and built by Khrunichev Research and Production Space Center, Moscow.