The AMERICOM 15 communications spacecraft that will broadcast direct-to-home entertainment and broadband services across the U.S. was successfully launched aboard a commercial Russian Proton rocket today.

The Proton rocket lifts off with AMC 15. Photo: ILS

The mission began at 2123 GMT (5:23 p.m. EDT) Thursday from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazahstan. After the Proton's lower three stages completed their firings, the Breeze M upper stage carried out a trio of engine burns during the evening and then deployed the 8,900-pound craft into geosynchronous transfer orbit at 0418 GMT (12:18 a.m. EDT) to conclude the seven-hour ascent.

The AMC 15 satellite will maneuver itself into geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above Earth and undergo a testing period starting October 23 from an orbital spot over the equator at 136 degrees West longitude. The craft will reach its operational destination at 105 degrees West longitude and enter service in eight weeks.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the hybrid Ku/Ka-band satellite will be operated by SES AMERICOM of Princeton, New Jersey, under the AMERICOM2Home system banner. The prime customer of AMC 15 is EchoStar's DISH Network. Millions across America subscribe to DISH for television and music programming received via small satellite dishes.

"The AMC 15 spacecraft has a very important mission as the first satellite we have committed to EchoStar Communications Corp. and its DISH Network satellite TV service ... this really puts our AMERICOM2Home initiative on the map as a robust platform provider for the U.S. direct-to-home industry," said Bryan McGuirk, senior vice president of media services at SES AMERICOM.

SES AMERICOM said it worked closely with EchoStar on the technical design of the spacecraft to ensure complete compatibility with the existing and future services on DISH.

AMC 15 is one of America's first operating Ka-band payloads, carrying 12 spot beams that will allow DISH to expand its offerings. The satellite also includes 24 Ku-band transponders.

"AMC 15 is the eleventh A2100 (model satellite) we have successfully delivered for SES AMERICOM; the third of four in 2004," said Ted Gavrilis, president of Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. "We are proud of our relationship with AMERICOM, considered one of the most demanding spacecraft operators in the industry, and especially look forward to the activation of AMC 15's Ka-band payload, the first major commercial Ka-band operation in the United States."

The AMC 15 satellite is hoisted in the cleanroom for mating with the Breeze M upper stage. Photo: ILS

It was the year's fourth commercial Proton rocket mission under the control of International Launch Services. ILS globally markets Proton and American Atlas rockets. The U.S.-based firm has conducted nine missions in 2004 using its two rocket families.

"This Proton/Breeze M launch was picture-perfect in the darkened skies over Kazakhstan, and on spec as we monitored every stage," said Dany Harel, SES AMERICOM vice president for satellite and space systems. "We thank the ILS team for delivering AMC 15 into transfer orbit. Now we and our Lockheed Martin spacecraft partners can get the satellite ready for service to our customer, EchoStar, by December."

"We thank SES AMERICOM for launching again with ILS," Mark Albrecht, the president of ILS, said at the conclusion of today's mission. "I'm proud of our long-standing relationship with AMERICOM and its parent company, SES GLOBAL. And it's good to be involved with EchoStar again as well, which has launched several dedicated satellites with ILS before teaming with SES AMERICOM on AMC 15."

The next ILS Proton flight is scheduled for December 9 when the WORLDSAT 2 communications satellite is deployed over the Atlantic to serve the Americas, Europe and Africa. It will mark the fourth of five launches of SES spacecraft on ILS vehicles this year, following AMC 10 and 11 on Atlas rockets and tonight's AMC 15. The fifth will be AMC 16 aboard an Atlas 5 on December 16 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.