OREANDA-NEWS. September 24, 2008. This morning, a train from the Chrunichev space center plant arrived at Baikonur. The train carried Proton-M space rocket to be used for Astra 1M launch at the end of October.

Astra 1M is owned by SES-Astra company, Luxembourg. The satellite was manufactured by EADS Astrium under the contract which had been enforced in July 2005.

The satellite`s platform is Eurostar E3000; it has 36 transponders. Astra 1M launch mass is 5300kg, it is to operate in GEO, estimated life-time is 15 years. The satellite will provide TV-HDTV broadcasting services for Europe, North Africa and Middle East.