Russian booster to orbit another American satcom

The Russian-American enterprise International Launch Services has concluded a new contract for the launch of the communication spacecraft DIRECTV-8, the press service of Russia's Federal Space Agency said on Wednesday.

The launch is scheduled for 2005 by the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Briz-M acceleration unit.

DIRECTV-8 is owned by the American satellite television company bearing the same name.

Another three commercial launches by the Proton booster are planned to be made before the end of 2004 - the satellites Amazonas (the order company is Hispasat, manufacturer EADS Astrium), AMC-12 (the order company SES Americom, manufacturer Alcatel Space) and AMC-15 (ordered by SES Americom Co., manufacturer Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems Co.).

ILS is made up of the American Lockheed Martin Corp. (US) and its Russian partners - the Khrunichev State Space Centre and Energia Space Rocketry Corp.