Russia sends U.S. communication satellite into space

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MOSCOW, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Russia launched a carrier rocket on Saturday to send a U.S. communication satellite into space, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The Briz-m rocket, with a ProtoStar-2 satellite atop, blasted off at 04:57 a.m. Moscow time (0057 GMT) from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, Alexander Bobrenev, spokesman for the rocket's manufacturer the Khrunichev Center, was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass.

The Russian Space Agency (Roskosmos) said earlier that the satellite will separate from the booster in 9 hours and 15 minutes.

The ProtoStar-2 satellite, a product of the Boeing corporation, will provide communication services for customers in such countries as Indonesia, India and the Philippines.