OREANDA-NEWS. April 18, 2013. Launched last night  from Baikonur’s Pad 39, a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle successfully delivered the Canadian Anik G1 satellite into orbit. The launch is the second  Proton mission of the year, and the Proton’s 385th flight in its history.
 
The Proton M integrated launch vehicle (ILV) lifted off from the Baikonur launch base with the Anik G1 satellite on board at 10:36 p.m. Moscow Time, Monday, on April 15. The launch proceeded nominally. In compliance with the mission design, the orbital unit separated from LV Stage 3 to continue flight in a self-powered mode. The subsequent injection of the spacecraft to its target orbit was achieved through five burns of the Breeze M main engine. As per mission design, about 9h 13 min after the rocket liftoff, at 7:49 a.m. Moscow Time Tuesday, on April 16, the spacecraft separated from the upper stage. Separated spacecraft mass: 4905 kg. Satellite control was transferred to the Customer.
 
The heavy-lift Proton launch vehicle is developed and produced by the state-run Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The upgraded Proton M outfitted with a Breeze M upper stage is able to deliver payloads in excess of 6 metric tons into geo-transfer orbit.
 
Anik G1 was built by U.S. company Space Systems/Loral for Telesat, Canada's premier satellite operator. Anik G1, a multi-misison satellite, will be positioned at 107.3 degrees West longitude. The satellite features 55 transponders. The Ku-band and C-band payload will provide direct-to-home (DTH) television service in Canada, as well as broadband, voice, data, and video services in South America . Anik G1  will also provide X-band coverage of  the Americas and the Pacific Ocean including Hawaii.
 
The contract to launch the Anik G1 satellite on the Proton has been concluded by ILS-International Launch Services Inc., a world leader in providing launch services for global satellite operators. Today’s mission  was the second ILS Proton flight in 2013 year, and the 79th ILS Proton launch overall.
 
Anik G1  was the 9th satellite in Telesat’s orbital  fleet launched on ILS Proton, and the satellite was the 26th Space Systems/Loral (SSL) satellite launched on an ILS Proton rocket.
 
About ILS and Khrunichev
ILS is a world leader in providing launch services for global satellite operators offering a complete array of services and support, from contract signing through mission management and on-orbit delivery. ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton vehicle to commercial satellite operators worldwide and is a U.S. company headquartered in Reston, Va., near Washington, D.C. For more information, visit http://www.ilslaunch.com/.
 
Khrunichev, which holds the majority interest in ILS, is one of the cornerstones of the Russian space industry. Khrunichev manufactures the Proton system and is developing the next generation Angara launch system. The Proton launches from facilities at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and has a heritage of 373 missions since 1965. Khrunichev includes among its branches, a number of key manufacturers of launch vehicle and spacecraft components in Moscow and in other cities of the Russian Federation. For more information, visit www.khrunichev.ru.