Sea Launch Successfully Delivers EchoStar XI to Orbit
Source:
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/sea-launch-successfully-delivers-echostar/story...
"Sea Launch Company has successfully launched the EchoStar XI broadcast
satellite from its ocean-based platform on the Equator, marking its
fourth successful mission of 2008 and its third mission for DISH Network.
A Zenit-3SL rocket lifted off at 10:21pm PDT on July 15 (5:21 GMT, July
16) from the Odyssey Launch Platform, positioned at 154 degrees West
Longitude. One hour later, the Block DM-SL upper stage inserted the
5,511 kg (12,150 lb) EchoStar XI satellite into geosynchronous transfer
orbit, on its way to a final orbital position at 110 degrees West
Longitude. Operators at the Gnangara ground station in Perth, Australia,
acquired the spacecraft's first signals from orbit shortly after
spacecraft separation. All systems performed nominally throughout the
mission."