A Proton M rocket in early May will launch the IndoStar II/ ProtoStar II satellite built by The Boeing Co. [BA].
Krunichev built the Proton M in Moscow, and shipped the rocket to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The rocket will insert the satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit using the Breeze M upper stage. Eventually, the bird will be moved into a geostationary orbit.
That upcoming mission will be the second of the year for International Launch Services (ILS), following the W2A satellite launch, which will mark the 50th ILS Proton launch. The May satellite will also be the second satellite each for Indovision of Indonesia and ProtoStar Ltd. of Bermuda.
The Proton, produced by Khrunichev Space Center (KhSC), has been in operation since 1965. With over 340 launches, the Proton delivers both Russian and commercial payloads to orbit.
ILS, which has exclusive rights to market the Proton, is a U.S. company located in Reston, Va., near Washington, D.C. The majority interest holder is KhSC, the manufacturer of the Proton.