Satellite for Kazakhstan successfully put into Orbit

Russian rocket Proton-M launched from Baikonur overnight has successfully carried the KazSat-2 satellite for Kazakhstan to the planned orbit. The KazSat separated from the Briz-M upper stage at 12:40 Moscow time, the Khrunichev State Space Scientific and Production Centre’s press secretary Alexander Bobrenev told Itar-Tass. The satellite is designed to provide television broadcasting and transmit data in the KazSat satellite communication system for Kazakhstan, Central Asian countries and central Russia. It is planned to work in orbit for 12 years. Together with the KazSat, the American SES-3 communication satellite was carried to orbit on Saturday. The SES separated from the upper stage at 11:17 Moscow time. In June 2006, a Proton launch vehicle carried KazSat-1 to orbit for Kazakhstan. However, the satellite completely lost its work ability by late 2008. It is the second launch of a Proton-M in 2011 and the 365th in its history.