WASHINGTON, November 8 (RIA Novosti, Alexei Berezin) - A Russian Zenit-3SL rocket successfully launched the U.S. Inmarsat-4 satellite from the Odyssey launch pad in the Pacific Ocean Tuesday.
The satellite was launched at 5:07 p.m. Moscow time (2:07 p.m. GMT) as part of the Sea Launch program. The satellite will reach orbit in 85 minutes.
The satellite launch was scheduled for Saturday but later postponed due to an automated halt in the launch countdown system.
The Inmarsat-4 satellite, weighing 5,958kg (13,135 lbs), was designed and built by EADS Astrium, Europe's leading satellite manufacturer.
The Inmarsat-4, the world's most sophisticated commercial communications satellite, is designed to provide a new Broadband Global Area Network service over North and South America for 13 years.
Sea Launch is the world's only company that can currently perform launches from the equator area. The Zenit-3SL rocket can launch heavy satellites into orbit and ensure a longer life for spacecraft in orbit.
The Sea Launch consortium, established in 1995, is owned by U.S. company Boeing (40%); Russia's RSC-Energia (25%); Norway's Kvaerner ASA (20%); and Ukraine's SDO Yuzhnoye/PO Yuzhmash (15%).
