Telecoms satellite launched from California

A Zenit-3SL rocket carrying the Echostar 1X/Telstar 13 telecoms satellite was launched from the Sea Launch Company’s mobile platform on Long Beach, California in the early hours of this morning. The satellite was tracked around an hour after its launch by a station in western Australia which confirmed that it was operating normally. The satellite, which weighs just 4,700kg, was built by Space Systems/Loral and is currently owned by EchoStar Communications Corp and Loral Space and Communications Ltd. However, Loral filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July this year and has announced plans to sell six of its telecoms satellites, including the one launched this morning, to Bermuda-based Intelsat for around USD1.1 billion in cash. The launch of the satellite was the ninth successful one for Sea Launch; an attempt in March 2000 is the only one to have failed.