OREANDA-NEWS. December 30, 2009. The Khrunichev–built Proton Breeze M launcher, carrying the DirecTV 12 satellite for DIRECTV Inc., launched from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 03:22 MT. today  (0:22 GMT, O6:22 BKT). After a 9 hour 15 minute mission, the Breeze M successfully released the DIRECTV 12 satellite, weighing almost 6 tons, into geostationary transfer orbit. This was the 10th out of 10 successful Proton launches in 2009 and the 351st Proton flight overall.

International Launch Services Inc. (ILS) has been awarded a contract for launching the DirecTV 12 satellite on a Proton M rocket for DIRECTV Inc.. For ILS, this was the 7th Proton mission of the year and 56 Proton launch overall (since the Proton April 1996 first commercial flight). This will be the 4th DIRECTV satellite launch with Proton. In addition, the DirecTV 12 is the 13th Boeing satellite launched on a Proton vehicle.

ILS is a world leader in providing mission and launch services for global satellite operators. ILS offers 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 and is a U.S. company headquartered in Reston, Va., near Washington, D.C.

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 Angara launch system.  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.  There were a total of 14 launches using the Khrunichev-built launch vehicles in 2009. All those launches were successful. A total of 21 satellites were put into orbit.