A Russian Briz-M upper stage has successfully put a US Ecostar-16 communication satellite into orbit. According to Roscosmos, this happened at 7:43 Moscow time this morning.

A Proton-M carrier rocket with an upper stage and an Ecostar-16 was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in the evening of the 20th of November.

The US satellite is meant for providing telecommunication services and direct broadcasting on US territory.

The launch of the previous communication satellite commissioned by the Ecostar company took place on the 10th of July 2011.

Proton M leaves Baikonur
A Proton-M rocket carrying an American Echostar-16 communications satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch took place with no irregularities according to the Russian Space Agency.

The target orbit of the satellite should be reached on the morning on November 21st.

The satellite was manufactured by the American Echostar Corporation.

The satellite is designed to provide telecommunication services and direct TV broadcasting in the United States.

Source: Voice of Russia