On Sunday Russia’s Proton-M carrier rocket with a US telecoms satellite, Intelsat-23, blasted off from the Baikonur space centre. The rocket was launched at the designated time - 12:37 p.m. Moscow time [8:27 GMT]. The separation of the spacecraft from the Briz-M upper stage took place at 22:07 p.m. Moscow time [18:07 GMT].

      Intelsat-23 is the first hybrid telecommunication satellite built by Orbital Sciences Corporation for Intelsat Ltd. - one of the world's most most extensive satellite network. The satellite is equipped with 24 C-band and 15 Ku-band transponders and will provide telecommunications services to customers in North and Latin America, Western Europe, Africa and some islands in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

      The Russia's Proton-M carrier rocket was used for the fifth time for the Intelsat Ltd. company. Its launch was conducted by International Launch Services Inc. (ILS), which is owned by the Khrunichev Center, RSC Energia and US firm Space Transport Inc.