Russia's Proton-M carrier rocket launched on Saturday from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan has delivered a U.S. EchoStar 15 telecommunications satellite into the designated orbit, Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Sunday.
The launch of the EchoStar 15 spacecraft became the seventh launch of the Proton rocket in 2010 and 358th overall.
The EchoStar 15 satellite has joined DISH Network's satellites grouping that provides TV services to over 14 million of U.S. customers.
EchoStar 15 will replace the EchoStar 3 satellite, launched in October 1997. It will provide Ku-band services over the eastern continental United States from its orbital position of 61.5 degrees West.
The satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral on the basis of its LS-1300 platform, will pack 32 Ku-band transponders and has an anticipated life span of 15 years.
MOSCOW, July 11 (RIA Novosti)
