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Next Proton-M launch scheduled for October 26

Russian carrier rocker will deploy American telecom satellite
Photo ITAR-TASS/ЕРА/ROSCOSMOS
Photo ITAR-TASS/ЕРА/ROSCOSMOS

WASHINGTON, October 24. (Itar-Tass) – Launch of the Russian Proton-M carrier rocket with the American Sirus FM-6 payload from Baikonur cosmodrome is scheduled for October 26, according to the statement made by the U.S. company International Launch Services (ILS); a Russia’s state-owned Khrunichev Space Research and Development Center is a major stakeholder in the organization.

The launch was rescheduled twice due to malfunction of American terrestrial receiving stations, which are required to process data in order to successfully deploy the Sirius FM-6 telecom satellite.

ILS is based in Reston, Virginia. It’s goal is to promote services of the Proton carrier rocket and the Briz-M upper stage rocket which were developed by the Khrunichev Center. The joint company was created in 1995 together with Lockheed-Martin, and Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energiya.

In 2006 Lockheed-Martin sold its share to a German entrepreneur; it was later bought out by the Khrunichev Center. The ILS has conducted over 80 Proton launches since 1996.