A US-Russian joint venture launches a US Telecommunications Satellite
A leading Russian space company announced the launch of a U.S. telecommunications satellite DirecTV-10, on board a Russian Proton-M carrier rocket. This is a commercial telecommunications satellite designed and manufactured by Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems to provide consumers across continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska with local and national High Definition Television (HDTV). The satellite was delivered on June 6 to the Baikonur space center in Kazalhstan for launch preparations.
The launch services will be provided by International Launch Services, a U.S.-Russian joint venture having exclusive rights for worldwide commercial sales and mission management of satellite launches on Russia’s Proton carrier rockets. The joint venture partners are Space Transport Inc., a privately held corporation registered in the British Virgin Islands, and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and RSC Energia of Moscow. The company has conducted a total of 46 commercial Proton launches since 1996, and has 15 scheduled launches through 2010.