Breeze M – Spaceflight Now

Russia’s Angara A5 rocket successful in second test flight

December 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

Six years after launching for the first time, a Russian Angara A5 heavy-lift rocket took off on its second test flight Monday and successfully delivered a dummy payload into orbit.

Proton rocket lifts off with two Russian Express comsats

July 30, 2020 Stephen Clark

Flying for the first time this year, a Proton rocket streaked into space Thursday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with two Russian Express communications satellites that will beam television, radio and broadband signals across the country.

Proton rocket rolled out for launch with two Russian communications satellites

July 27, 2020 Stephen Clark

Two satellites designed to beam radio and television broadcasts, Internet connectivity and other communications services across Russia have arrived at a launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for liftoff Thursday on the first flight of a Russian Proton rocket this year.

Photos: Proton fires off the launch pad with two U.S.-built satellites

October 13, 2019 Stephen Clark

Six RD-276 engines powered a Russian Proton rocket off the launch pad Wednesday at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, boosting a television broadcast payload for Eutelsat and the first commercial robotic satellite servicing spacecraft into orbit.

Successful Proton launch deploys Eutelsat satellite, first Mission Extension Vehicle

October 10, 2019 Stephen Clark

A Proton booster rocketed away from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazaskhtan Wednesday with a Eutelsat television broadcasting craft and the satellite industry’s first commercial in-space servicing vehicle. The successful launch marked the first commercial Proton mission under the auspices of International Launch Services in more than two years.

Live coverage: Proton rocket launches with two U.S.-built satellites

October 9, 2019 Stephen Clark

A Russian Proton rocket lifted off at 1017 GMT (6:17 a.m. EDT) Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodorme in Kazakhstan. After a marathon 16-hour-long launch sequence, the Proton and its Breeze M upper stage will deploy the Eutelsat 5 West B video broadcast satellite and a robotic satellite servicing payload aiming to attempt the first-ever docking in geosynchronous orbit.

Satellite industry’s first robotic servicing mission ready for launch

October 8, 2019 Stephen Clark

A pioneering Northrop Grumman-built satellite designed to dock with an aging spacecraft more than 22,000 miles above Earth, then extend its life with the aid of solar-electric thrusters, is set for launch Wednesday from Kazakhstan aboard a Proton rocket.

Q&A with Joe Anderson of Space Logistics LLC (members only)

October 8, 2019 Stephen Clark

Joe Anderson, vice president of business development and operations at Space Logistics LLC, recently discussed the company’s first Mission Extension Vehicle in an interview with Spaceflight Now. The first Mission Extension Vehicle is launching on the first commercial satellite servicing mission to dock with an Intelsat communications craft in geostationary orbit.

Proton rocket lifts off with Russian military satellite

August 5, 2019 Stephen Clark

A Blagovest communications spacecraft lifted off Monday aboard a Proton rocket to complete a network of four relay satellites in geostationary orbit for the Russian military. The Proton rocket’s Breeze M upper stage successfully delivered the Blagovest spacecraft to its intended orbit nine hours later.

Photos: Proton blasts off with Yamal 601

June 3, 2019 Stephen Clark

Look back on the May 30 launch of a Russian Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with this gallery of photos showing the 19-story launcher climbing into the sky with the Yamal 601 communications satellite.