MOSCOW, December 2. /TASS/. Delayed launches have been announced of Proton-M rockets carrying Russian and European telecommunications satellites.

Russia's Yamal-401 is scheduled for lift-off on December 16 and Europe's Astra-2G on December 28, Irina Zubareva, spokesperson for Russia’s space agency chief, told TASS on Tuesday.

Launches were planned for December 12 and November 28, respectively, but the November event was delayed due to malfunction in the rocket's control system.

Luxembourg-based satellite communications provider SES has developed Astra as a telecommunications channel for NATO forces. Launch before the year-end will allow Luxembourg to retain its orbital position for the satellite to move to a permanent location in a few months.