Russians launch Brazilian satellite

LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- This year's first sea launch of a Russian rocket from a floating launch pad in the Pacific successfully lifted a Brazilian satellite into orbit.

The Russian news agency Tass Sunday reported that there were no difficulties and that the communications satellite reached orbit as planned.

The Zenit-3SL rocket was used by the Energia Space Corporation to lift Telstar-1 into a geostationary orbit.

The spacecraft is designed to ensure direct telecasting to a footprint that includes Brazil, the North Atlantic and North and South America.

The launch pad was located along the equator. The platform, named Odyssey, was converted in Norway from an offshore drilling rig built in Japan. Three thousand tons of automated rocket handling equipment, a launch table, fueling systems and a flame deflector were installed on the rig.

It is accompanied by the Sea Launch Commander, one of the most high-tech civilian vessels in the world. It can accommodate 240 people who assemble the rocket and provide mission control facilities.

The international project, which has been launching Russian rockets since 2000, has Boeing and Energia as major partners, though the vessels are registered in Liberia and manned by Filipinos.