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Proton orbits Israeli communications satellite, RF relay satellite

The Russian relay satellite Luch-5A was launched together with the satellite AMOS-5

MOSCOW, December 12 (Itar-Tass) —— The Russian booster Proton-M launched from the Baikonur spaceport on Sunday put successfully on the designated orbit the Israeli communications satellite AMOS-5.

“The communications satellite AMOS-5 separated at 00.52 Moscow time on Monday from the upper stage Briz-M,” press secretary of the Khrunichev State Space Research-and-Production Centre Alexander Bobrenev told Itar-Tass on Monday.

The Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company has designed the Israeli communications satellite AMOS-5 for the Israeli satellite communication company Spacecom. The service life of the satellite is 15 years.

The Russian relay satellite Luch-5A was launched together with the satellite AMOS-5. The Luch-5A satellite separated from the upper stage at 00.11 Moscow time on Monday.

“The Sunday launch became the ninth for the booster Proton-M in 2011 and a total 372nd launch for the launch vehicle. This was the third launch for the Proton booster, when two satellites were put on the geostationary orbit,” the Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems Company recalled.

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