Russian Proton-M Rocket Puts US Intelsat DLA-2 Satellite Into Orbit

The US Intelsat DLA-2 satellite has successfully been put into orbit, a representative of Russian space agency Roscosmos said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Proton-M rocket carrying the US Intelsat DLA-2 satellite was successfully launched from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on Thursday.

"We confirm that the separation of the spacecraft from the upper stage has taken place. The launch program has been fully implemented," a Roscosmos spokesman told RIA Novosti.

Proton-M space launch vehicle with an upper stage Breeze-M spacecraft and communication Sirius-5 being moved to the launch pad at Baikonur cosmodrome

© Sputnik / Oleg Urusov

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The launch of the Proton-M with the DLA-2 satellite was initially set to take place on Wednesday but was postponed for technical reasons.

The DLA-2 satellite was built for Intelsat S.A. of Luxembourg by US-based Space Systems Loral (SSL) of Palo Alto, California.

The Proton-M is the largest carrier rocket in Russia's fleet of space launch vehicles. The rocket has lifted dozens of Russian-made and foreign satellites into orbit since it was first commissioned into service in 2001.

Launch of the Russian PROTON-M with US #IntelsatDLA2 satellite. 09.06.2016 pic.twitter.com/zevo1g0ED1

— TeamTrumpRussia (@TeamTrumpRussia) June 9, 2016

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