New Asian Communications Satellite Launches to Space

A Proton rocket sent an Asian communications satellite on the way to orbit Tuesday, successfully completing the first leg of a 9-hour mission to deliver the four-ton craft to its new home in space. With six engines blazing a fiery trail through the night sky, the 185-foot-tall rocket lifted off at 1947 GMT (3:47 p.m. EDT) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. AsiaSat 5, a new 8,289-pound broadcasting and networking satellite for Asia, was bolted atop the Russian booster for the launch. The spacecraft will be operated by Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. More

(Source: Space.com - Aug 12)