MOSCOW. Dec 26 (Interfax-AVN) - Preparation for launching a modernized Proton-M heavy carrier rocket with the Canadian NIMIQ- 2 telecom satellite is about to end at the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, the press service of the Russian Space Forces said on Thursday.
"The Proton-M carrier rocket with the Briz-M booster and NIMIQ-2 satellite was taken out of the assembly and testing block this morning and put on launcher No. 24 at launch pad No. 81 at 9:15 a.m. Moscow time (0615 GMT)," a press service official told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The operation was carried out in adverse weather environment, under snow, northern wind at 10-15mps and a temperature of minus 15 degrees Celsius.
The Proton-M and the booster were produced at the Khrunichev space center. The carrier is a Proton-K derivative fitted with a new control system, the Briz-M booster, and a new nose cone. The Proton-M has better energy-mass, operational and environmental performances.
The NIMIQ-2 satellite was designed and manufactured by the U.S. Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems for Canada's Telesat Canada operator. The consumer of the launch to be performed by the Russian Space Forces is International Launch Services company.
The Proton-M is to lift off from Baikonur at 2:16 a.m. Moscow time on December 30 (2315 GMT December 29).