International Launch Services (ILS) got off a successful launch, over the weekend, carrying the Indostar II/Protostar II satellite into orbit. This marks the second commercial mission of the year for ILS and the fourth successful Proton launch of 2009. The May 16th launch comes on the heels of the milestone 50th ILS Proton launch on April 3rd.

The Indostar II/Protostar II satellite was launched for Protostar LTD of Bermuda and will be commercially operated for Indovision of Jakarta, Indonesia, the largest Direct to Home operator in Indonesia.

The ILS Proton Breeze M launched from Pad 39 at the cosmodrome at 6:57 a.m. Saturday (8:57 p.m. EDT, 00:57 GMT). After a 9 hour 15 minute mission, the Breeze M successfully released the satellite into the planned geo-transfer orbit. This was the 345th launch for the Proton. The Proton Breeze M vehicle is developed and built by Khrunichev Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, Russia’s premier space manufacturer.

The Indostar II/Protostar II satellite, located at 107.7 degrees East, was built on the Boeing 601 HP platform and is the second satellite in Protostar’s evolving constellation. This satellite replaces the existing Chakarawarta 1 and will bring high power S-band and Ku-band capacity over Indonesia, with expanded service to India, the Philippines and Taiwan. The satellite’s S-band transponders will support Direct to Home TV and Radio services for Indovision. The satellite will also offer HDTV multimedia and broadband services throughout the ASEAN region.

“As a new customer, we are thrilled to support the continued expansion of Protostar’s business with an ILS Proton launch,” said ILS President Frank McKenna. “Our focus on the time critical needs of Indovision was the driver to providing continuous DTH and Radio services to the entire region. We were pleased to offer the same outstanding service, quality and reliability that ILS Proton stands for and delivers.”

“We expected a flawless mission, and that is exactly what was ILS Proton delivered,” said Philip Father, CEO of Protostar. “This successful launch of the Indostar II/Protostar II satellite enables us to optimize our robust direct to home services in ASEAN with the most powerful satellite to join the Protostar fleet. It also demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the next generation of television services across Asia through a multi-satellite constellation. Many thanks to ILS for their dedication and support throughout the entire mission and for a job well done.”

ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton, Russia’s premier heavy-lift vehicle, to commercial satellite operators worldwide. ILS is a U.S. company located in Reston, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. The majority owner is Khrunichev Space Center.

FMI: www.ilslaunch.com