Russian Proton rocket delivers military satellite

A Russian military satellite was successfully lofted into geostationary orbit Nov. 12 by a Proton-M rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The Raduga-1M military communications satellite separated from the Proton launcher’s Breeze-M upper stage about nine hours after launch, placing the spacecraft into its intended orbit.

In a statement, Proton manufacturer Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center said the spacecraft separated on schedule at 12:47 a.m. Moscow time. Control of the spacecraft was passed over the Ministry of Defense’s Aerospace Defense Forces.

Satellite builder ISS Reshetnev said the satellite was communicating with ground controllers and orienting itself to the sun.

Flights about the Proton-M had been delayed after a launch failure in July 2013.