EchoStar Reaches Pact for 2008 Satellite Launch

EchoStar Communications closed a deal with International Launch Services to launch a satellite in 2008 on a Proton Breeze M vehicle, officials said Wednesday.

Financial details were not disclosed.

EchoStar has a long-standing relationship with ILS that includes 100% success on all previous launches.

The Proton vehicle, built by ILS partner Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Russia, has carried out more than 320 missions for the Russian government and commercial customers for more than 40 years. The Proton launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

ILS is a joint venture of Space Transport, Khrunichev and RSC Energia.

"We are happy to have completed this order for a returning customer, and we are dedicated to performing reliably and on schedule to support EchoStar." ILS president Frank McKenna said in a prepared statement.