Photos: Proton Lifts Off after Extended Break
A Russian Proton-M/Briz-M rocket blasted off from Site 81/24 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:45 UTC on June 8, 2017 on a mission to deliver the 6,871-Kilogram EchoStar-21 mobile communications satellite to Geostationary Transfer Orbit. It marked the first launch of Proton in nearly a full year, ending the longest break in the rocket’s five-decade service life following trouble with the vehicle’s second and third stage engines that ended up requiring extensive refurbishment work.
All Photos: Roscosmos
